Love and Aura
by LucarioZer0
Summary: This is the story of a Guardian of Aura named Valor and a Lucario named Tamashi, who, in spite of what society may think of such things, have formed a deep bond of love. Now, every day that they spend together brings both of them great happiness...and also great danger, especially with dark forces lurking on the horizon. Rated M for explicit sexual content and adult language.
1. Prologue

Prologue

As time moves forward society changes. There was a time when all knew what love was. But in this day and age, people have forgotten, and love's true meaning has been corrupted. People now clash over just what love is, and who has the right to love. There are all kinds of people on both sides, just as there are many kinds of people in this world. There are Pokémon Trainers and Pokémon Coordinators. There are people who have spent their whole lives with pokémon and some who never even set out on an adventure with a pokémon by their side. But as the curtain of shadows draws around this world, all of them remain ignorant of what dangers lay on the horizon.

But this world is merely a backdrop, not the focus of this tale. This is the story of Valor and Tamashī. Valor is a young man, and a Pokémon Trainer. He is also a Guardian of Aura, which means that he can sense and control Aura, the life energy of the universe. Like all Guardians, Valor is accompanied by a Lucario, and his is a female Lucario named Tamashī. These two share a bond that goes beyond the normal limits of that between a Guardian and a Lucario, or even a human and a pokémon. Theirs is a bond of love, love so strong they have chosen to defy the rules of both society and the Order of Guardians, even if they can only express their love in secret...


	2. Chapter 1: Forbidden Love

Valor and Tamashī walked side by side down the Skyarrow Bridge, the sunset reflecting on the rippling water below. There was no one around, so the two of them dared to walk close to one another, him holding her paw in his hand as they went along the soaring blue bridge.

As a pokémon trainer, Valor naturally carried more pokémon with him- specifically a Ninetales, a Kingdra, an Aggron, a Staraptor, and an Eelectross- but none were as special to him as his beloved Tamashī. Even after traveling together for over a year and a half, the memories of how they came to be together still felt new.

He had been given her egg by another Guardian in an age old test of one's worthiness to become a Guardian of Aura. Once one had the egg, it was a test of how strong your Aura was. It was said that if you had an Aura strong enough to become a Guardian, then the egg would hatch within three days of receiving it. If the egg hatched within that period, then the second half of the test began. Once the Riolu was born, it was required to form a bond with it strong enough that it would evolve into a Lucario by the end of its first week of life. Valor had unwittingly met these requirements, but there was an unforeseen side effect of the time he spent with her.

As soon as she hatched they had felt close to one another. But once she evolved, their feelings toward one another began to change. It wasn't too long after she evolved that the Guardian who had given Valor Tamashī's egg returned to teach them in the ways of the Guardians. Under the guidance of that Guardian, they underwent the traditional seven months of training to join the ranks of the Guardians. During that time, their feelings for one another only intensified. When their training had concluded, Valor found the courage to tell her how he felt. She accepted him as her mate, and they had been together ever since.

Although it had been almost a year to the day since their romantic relationship had begun, to both of them time had seemed to go by quickly. Valor blinked in surprise as he realised that while he had been lost in the thoughts of their time together, they had reached the end of the bridge, and now stood before the tunnel like gate that led into Castelia City, the largest city in the Unova Region. Valor let out a sad sigh, and turned to Tamashī with a mournful smile. "There will probably be a lot of people beyond this point. We're gonna have to act like we're nothing more than a trainer and his pokémon."

She crossed her arms with a 'humph'. She then spoke without speaking, using the type of telepathy common to Lucarios. "I know. I just wish we didn't have to act like we're doing something wrong. People are too uptight for their own good."

With a soft chuckle he replied. "No arguments here, but still. You know what would happen if people saw us acting like a couple."

She nodded reluctantly. "Yeah. I know, I know. I still don't like it."

"I don't either, but that's the way the world works." With a jerk of his head he gestured toward the gate. "Come on, let's go."

With that the two of them stepped through the gate and into the city.

* * *  
After arriving in the city the two of them checked into a hotel and went straight up to their room for the night.

Valor dropped his bag on the floor and went to take a shower while Tamashī went out to the balcony overlooking Castelia Bay, enjoying the smell of the sea air. When he came out of the shower Valor found Tamashī waiting on the bed, an expectant look on her blue furred face.

"I don't suppose I get a choice in the matter, do I?" Valor questioned her, a loving smile on his face, thinking to himself that he didn't particularly mind not having a choice. He walked over to join her on the bed, glad as always that, by fortune or fate, Tamashī had evolved without developing a chest spike. It was another one of the things that made her so special to him, though she was a bit defensive about the subject. He had learned to appreciate it without actually discussing it.

As he got into bed Tamashī wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him into what was as close as she could come to a kiss. As she always did she quickly became more passionate with the kiss, pushing her tongue past his lips into his mouth. Just this was enough for Valor to experience the familiar feeling of blood flow increasing to his manhood.

Valor disengaged himself from her arms, and began stripping off his clothes while she waited impatiently on the bed. He climbed back onto the bed, and was pinned down by his mate, who almost always preferred to be on top. Valor didn't mind that though, as he felt he had a better view of her like that. Tamashī slid up along him so that her hips were level with his, not wanting to waste any time in breeding with her mate. She then started to press her entrance against him and he could feel the heat coming from within her, as well as how slick she already was with her own fluids.

Pressing her paws against his chest for balance, she pressed harder against him, parting her lower lips and allowing her to slide down along his throbbing length. Once she had all seven inches of him inside her, she began grinding against him, both enjoying the familiar sensations of the motion.

He reached up to place his hands on her hips, finding the feeling of her fur brushing against his skin as pleasurable as always. As Tamashī continued she increased her speed and force, until the initial gentle pace had become a bit bone jarring, and even a little…feral. Driven by a combination of her instincts and her hormones, she kept at it until she was moaning with pleasure. Still maintaining enough presence of mind to realize she was getting a little too loud, she started biting her lip in an effort to quiet herself.

As she rocked back and forth astride his hips they started to make use of their respective Auras, allowing them to mix and overlap, creating a feeling of intimacy that couldn't have been achieved otherwise, and bathing the room in a faint emerald light.

She could feel her climax was approaching now, and after a moment she switched biting her lips for pressing them against her mate's in a passion fueled kiss. It wasn't much longer before her orgasm washed over her. The feeling of her inner muscles milking him pushed Valor to the edge, sending his seed into her body.

Panting heavily she gently pulled herself off him, dripping some of their combined fluids on to him and the sheets as she laid down beside him, snuggling up close to him. "I…I wasn't too rough was I?"

He chuckled lightly in response. "Give me some credit. I have gotten a bit tougher from doing this for almost a year."

He gently wrapped his arms around her, pulling her as close as he could. "I love you, Tamashī."

"I love you too."

Without another word they drifted off to sleep, content in each others arms.

***  
When Tamashī woke the next morning it was barely past dawn, and Valor was still sleeping beside her. It didn't really surprise her, as she always woke up before he did. She gently slid out of the bed, wondering not for the first time if he didn't wake up because she moved too lightly, or if he was simply a heavy sleeper. With a stretch and a smile she walked out once more to the balcony, taking in the sights and sounds of the city below.

Tamashī enjoyed things like this, being able to see everything laid out before her. She took in a breath of the sea air, then lowered herself into a cross-legged position, intending to meditate until her mate woke up. With a light ocean breeze ruffling her fur, she closed her eyes, stretching out her senses.

The whole world seemed to glow with light of a myriad of colours, every living thing in her 'sight' thrumming with energy. She narrowed her focus to look at her mate's Aura, an emerald green colour like her own Aura. It wasn't uncommon for a Guardian and his or her Lucario to have the same colour of Aura. I t often amused her that despite how different their relationship was from the norm, she and Valor did share certain little similarities like that with other Guardian/Lucario pairs.

She began to expand her field of 'vision' to be able to see the Aura's of more of the people and pokémon in the city. She could essentially see everything. She could see people working on the docks, merchants opening their stores for the day, and more people and pokémon who were just waking up to prepare for the day ahead.

She continued to stretch out until she could see the entire city. Though she had less understanding of the things she was seeing, the sheer volume of it all made up for it. Suddenly something new entered into what she could see, shocking her a bit. There were two of them. Entering into the city were two incredibly bright red Auras, along with five other slightly less powerful Auras.

There was something so familiar about the two red Auras, but she couldn't place it. Just as she was about to focus her senses on the two familiar Auras, her attention was drawn by the sense of her mate waking up back in the room.

The Auras she had sensed were pushed from her mind as she got back up to head in to the room, her thoughts refocused on the day ahead.

When Valor woke he wasn't really surprised that Tamashī was no longer in the bed. He had become used to her waking up before him. It was far from uncommon for him to wake up alone. He had been bothered by it early on in their relationship, but now he didn't take it personally. In fact, as he had become used to it, it had come to amaze him how quietly she moved.

He smiled as she walked into the room from the balcony, glad as always that she was part of his life. "Good morning."

She returned his smile before saying, "Good morning. How long do you think it will take for you to get ready?"

"Don't worry, I won't take long."

He immediately got out of bed and started getting ready to leave. They had already been in Unova for a week, on a sort of vacation from their usual Guardian duties in northern Sinnoh. But today was different. Today was important for them, as it had been on the same day one year ago that they had first mated, and their relationship had begun.

Once Valor was dressed they left the room, both looking forward to the day ahead of them.

Because of how special a day it was for them, Valor had taken the time before hand to plan out a little schedule of sorts. It was nothing overly strict or time sensitive, and it was in fact more like a list of things they should do if they could find the time, but he had still put in the effort to think of the best list of things for them to do while they were in Castelia.

They started their day with a short boat trip to the Liberty Garden, a small but pretty island with an old tower on it that was said to be the home of the powerful and mythical pokémon Victini. Upon their return to Castelia City a couple hours later they took a tour of Studio Castelia, a little art museum displaying works associated with the ancient legends of Unova.

After having lunch at Café Sonata, they found themselves with the good fortune to be able to purchase Castelia Cones, the brand of ice cream originally from the city that was commonly acknowledged as the best ice cream in the world. They enjoyed the frozen treats on one of Castelia's many piers, simply watching the ocean together and enjoying each other's company.

In the failing light they boarded the Royal Unova at the Cruise Dock, the ship being known for the romantic view from its observation deck as it made its trip through the waters of Unova before returning to the city.

That very observation deck was where they stood together in the light of the sunset, once more finding themselves alone, allowing them to actually stand together like a couple as they watched the sparkling waves, turned orange by the sunset. As beautiful as the view was, Tamashī had something else on her mind.

She started nuzzling Valor and rubbing against him, her thoughts clearly pointed at intimacy. With a roll of his eyes Valor gently admonished her, saying, "Tamashī, not here. We're on a ship full of people. Can't you wait until we get back to the hotel?"

She shook her head in response, a pleading look in her eyes. "No, that's too long to wait. Besides, there are empty rooms on the ship…"

Valor gave a defeated sigh, knowing she couldn't be deterred. "Alright, fine. Let's go."

With that they turned and walked back into the interior of the ship in search of a vacant room.

The door to the room had barely closed before they were on the bed. Working together it wasn't long before Valor's clothes were off. Tamashī was quickly on top of him, pressing against his fully erect manhood. Combined with the subtle rocking motion of the ship, the sensation of her grinding against him was more intense than usual.

Reaching up, placing his hands on her chest, he felt through her fur until he found her erect nipples. As he began to massage and stimulate them she began to thrust against him, forcing him deeper and deeper her with each thrust of her hips.

Their pleasure only increased when they started using their Auras. Tamashī could feel her orgasm fast approaching and Valor was experiencing a similar feeling. Running his hands down her body, Valor caressed every curve on her body, a body that was so soft and gentle it was hard to believe she was a Fighting-Steel type.

Tamashī's orgasm hit her at that moment and it took her everything she had not to cry out in sheer pleasure. Valor could feel himself about to finish and only a moment later his tip exploded with his seed, coating her passageway.

Tamashī wasn't finished though. She quickly dismounted and switched to using her mouth. She slipped his still erect member fully into her mouth. She began to use her tongue to stroke and caress it.

"Tamashī, you don't have to do that." Tamashī ignored him and kept going, enjoying the taste of her mate's manhood.

While Valor enjoyed the feeling, he always felt a little embarrassed when she did this. But, once her mind was made up there was no stopping her. A few moments later he felt another orgasm and Tamashī greedily swallowed the result.

They cuddled for a handful of minutes afterward, but, knowing the ship would soon return to the dock, Valor got dressed and they left the room.

Disembarking from the Royal Unova, Valor and Tamashī walked in the general direction of their hotel. Though they walked apart they stayed connected with their Auras, both enjoying the afterglow of their time aboard the ship.

They were almost back at their hotel when a familiar voice came from behind them. "Hey kid, it's been awhile."

Valor and Tamashī turned around and came face-to-face with the Guardian of Aura who had trained Valor and given him Tamashī's egg. He was a man that Valor had looked up to since he was a kid. His name, was Galen.

Galen. His was a name recognized all over the world. If you asked someone on the street they could tell you exactly who he was. Everyone knew that he was the strongest Trainer in the world. People everywhere knew him as the Pokémon League's World Champion. This was the man who stood before them, wearing his trademark blue jacket, dark brown hair being brushed by the light breeze. By his side was his ever present Luxray, Luxor. Galen had a confident half smile on his face.

Valor gulped. It could be tough keeping his and Tamashī's secret around normal people at times. Keeping that secret from another Guardian was a whole other story. Especially where Galen was concerned. Galen was commonly acknowledged as the strongest Guardian alive. It was made even worse by the fact that Galen's Lucario, Riley, was Tamashī's father.

" H-hey Galen." Valor stammered out. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"Traveling, just like I always am." Galen responded. "What are the odds that I would run into you here? What's it been, a year?"

"Uh, yeah, something like that." Valor answered.

"Well, the nights still young," Galen said, "Why don't we catch up over drinks? My treat kid."

With a tone of exasperation Valor replied, "Galen, I'm too young to drink." Valor couldn't believe Galen would forget that, considering how often Galen called him "kid".

"Oh, right. Sorry. Well I'll get you a milkshake or a soda then." Galen grabbed him by the shoulder and started to guide him down the street, Luxor and Tamashī following closely behind them.

Tamashī was worried. Despite his appearance, she knew that Galen wasn't to be underestimated. If he were to discover the feelings she and her mate shared for one another, the result would be unbearable. She and her mate would be torn apart, or worse. She couldn't stand the idea. And what would her father do if he found out...

"Something wrong, Tamashī?" Luxor asked her, a look of concern on his feline features. He was lying on the floor across from Tamashī. The four of them had gone to the Cafe Sonata at Galen's prompting. Even now Galen and her mate were talking to one another across one of the cafe's tables.

Realizing her face must have betrayed her thoughts, Tamashī quickly responded, saying, "I'm fine. Just a bit tired." She tried to smile convincingly. Luxor looked at her sceptically, but didn't pursue the topic further. Tamashī looked away from Luxor, wanting to avoid any more questions.

Her mate laughed at something Galen said, causing her to look at him. Though by human standards he wasn't gorgeous, there was something about his jet-black hair, pleasant face, and bright blue eyes that she loved all the same. Just thinking about it made her face grow warm. She was glad that her blushing was hidden by her fur.

At that moment, one of Galen's Pokeballs burst open, and out came Tamashī's father, Riley.

Valor watched, surprised as Riley burst out of his Pokeball. It wasn't unheard of for pokémon to come out of their Pokéballs on their own, but it wasn't very common either.

"What's up Riley? Something wrong?" Galen asked his Lucario. Riley gestured for Galen to lean towards him and then whispered something into his Trainer's ear. Galen sighed. "I know. I'd hoped I was wrong though."

Galen turned back to Valor, a serious look on his face. "So kid, how do you feel about the two of us having a battle?" It may have been phrased as a question, but Valor knew he didn't have a choice.

"Alright, but I don't think I'll provide much of a challenge to your pokémon." Valor replied.

"Try." With that Galen returned Riley to his Pokeball and the four of them left the cafe.

* * *  
Galen and Valor stood around a hundred feet apart on one of Castelia City's piers. Luxor stood by Galen's side and Tamashī stood close by Valor's side. "This will be a full, six-on-six battle." Galen announced loud enough for Valor to hear.

"Alright then, I'll start with this!" Valor tossed out the Pokeball containing his Aggron, Kinzoku. Galen selected a Pokeball and unleashed the pokémon within. Out came Galen's eight foot tall Charizard, Blazer.

Valor had Kinzoku use Stone Edge, but it did a surprisingly small amount of damage. Galen had Blazer retaliate with a full power Blast Burn. Kinzoku promptly hit the ground, knocked out by the power of the flames. Valor switched Kinzoku for his Kingdra, Sangoshou. Galen called back Blazer and sent Luxor into battle. A single Thunder was enough to defeat Sangoshou.

Valor switched to Inazuma, his Eelectross. Galen continued to use Luxor and, a few Iron Tails and Crunches later Inazuma was knocked out. Valor began to feel discouraged, but he knew he couldn't back down. Valor threw out his Staraptor, Seiza, but he was also quickly defeated by Luxor.

Valor's next pokémon was his next to last, his Ninetales, Kasai. Galen called Luxor back to his side and sent out his Lapras, Cruise. With a single Hydro Pump Cruise knocked Kasai out cold. After returning Kasai to her Pokeball, Valor spoke up. "Galen, I'm done. It's clear that you've won." The truth was that Valor didn't want Tamashī to get badly hurt, and against Galen's pokémon that was a high possibility. Galen called Cruise back and started to walk toward Valor and Tamashī.

"Somehow, I think that there's a deeper reason that you don't want to continue." Galen continued to walk toward them, a dark look on his face. "So why don't you tell me the truth. The WHOLE truth. Or do I have to wring it out of you?" Galen stopped a few feet in front of them. "I think I already know, but tell me anyway." At this point the four inches of height Galen had over Valor seemed like much more.

Valor knew there was no point in hiding it from Galen, he knew Valor too well. "I...I do have a reason." Valor started. "I didn't want Tamashī to get really hurt, or worse. I love her too damn much to see her in that kind of condition." Tamashī placed her paw on his arm, and he looked into her eyes, a loving smile on his face. His expression hardened as he turned back to Galen. "So I guess you're going to turn us over to the authorities now? Or will it be the Order's Council of Elders instead?"

"No. I'm not going to turn you over to anyone." Galen whispered, just loud enough for them to hear. His expression changed, and he suddenly had his usual confident smile back.

"But, why?" Valor asked, the quickly added, "I mean, I'm not complaining, but that's kind of an unusual reaction to this...situation."

"Well," Galen started, "At first I thought it was just sex. You know, one of you taking advantage of the other."

"Hold on, how is it you think she would take advantage of me?" Valor asked indignantly.

"You're not very strong willed and she's a sexually active Fighting-Steel type. You do the math." Galen responded. "Anyway, now that I know that it's actually love, I'm not going to stop you. There are many people out there who don't look favourably on these things, but I won't tear apart two who are in love."

"Really?" Valor asked cautiously.

"Really." Galen answered, "But be warned, few are as accepting as I am. You're not the first human to become involved with a pokémon, hell, you're not even the first Guardian, but you still need to keep it a secret."

"Right." Valor agreed and Tamashī nodded in response. "Wait, there have been other Guardians like me, like us?"

Galen suddenly became very serious once again. "Yes. But it never ended well for the Guardians, or their Lucarios."

"What happened to them?" Valor asked, afraid of what the answer might be.

Valor could see that the information pained Galen. "The last time it happened was two years before I became a Guardian. When the Council of Elders found out, they decided to destroy what they thought was an abomination. In that case it was a female Guardian and a male Lucario. The Council had the Lucario executed, and the Guardian was expelled from the Order. Unable to deal with the loss of the one she loved, she simply gave up, and died less than a month later."

Valor had a defiant look in his eyes as he said, "That won't happen to us. I won't let it."

"For your sake, I hope you're right." Galen replied. "But enough of this. You have pokémon in need of a Pokémon Center, and it's getting late." Galen placed his hand on Valor's shoulder. "Good luck, to both of you."

"Thanks, Galen." Valor and Tamashī turned and walked away, both smiling.

* * *  
"You're just going to let them go?" Luxor asked.

"That's right, Lux." Galen replied.

Riley's Pokeball burst open, and Riley appeared before them. "What do you mean 'that's right'? That's my daughter! How do you think I feel about this?!" he demanded, obviously enraged.

"Calm down, Riley." Galen responded. "Isn't her happiness what's most important?"

"Fine, but I still don't like it." Riley answered.

"I didn't say you had to." Galen replied. Luxor chuckled to himself, and the three of them set off, all three thinking their own thoughts about what had just transpired.


	3. Chapter 2: The Beach

The two lovers left Castelia City the next day. They were headed to Undella Town, thinking the ocean side town would be a nice, quiet place to spend the rest of their trip to Unova. After a few uneventful days of travel, they arrived on Undella Town's white shores. If one had gone out to the Undella Bay that night, they would have been able to hear a Lucario's cries of pleasure as the echoed across the beach.

That night had started simply enough. Valor had been sitting on the beach, Tamashī by his side. They watched as the sun set, its light reflecting on the sparkling ocean. They then walked along the beach, headed toward the bay. Once they were alone, they moved closer to one another.

As the sky darkened their passions burned brighter, until they couldn't wait any longer. The quickly found a secluded spot on the beach and got started.

By the time Valor was undressed Tamashī was already lying on the sand, waiting for him. Valor laid down next to her, and they kissed passionately. Her tongue entered his mouth, gliding in as far as it could. They broke the contact, and Tamashī laid back, indicating she wanted him to take control this time. Valor laughed at the sight of her behaving submissively, then got up and moved.

Holding his weight above her body, he leaned down and kissed her again. Then, as they looked into each other's eyes, Valor began to press his hardened manhood into her opening. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of him sliding into her. With each thrusting motion he drove her a little deeper into the sand.

Tamashī had carved holes into the sand with her paws, trying to grip something. Placing his hands on her shoulders for support, Valor continued to push as deeply into her as he could. When they started to mix their Auras Tamashī lost all control, and began to cry out in sheer ecstasy. The cries echoed across the beach, mixing with the sound of the crashing waves.

They were both breathing heavily at this point and both new it would soon end. Tamashī's cries became louder still as her orgasms shook her whole body. It wasn't long before Valor could feel pressure building in his manhood.

A moment later his muscles contracted, filling his mate with his seed. He laid himself down on the sand next to Tamashī, both panting heavily. As the full moon's light shone pale upon the beach, they drifted off to sleep, enjoying the glow of the moon and the afterglow of their intimacy.

* * *  
Tamashī woke up the next morning at dawn. Realizing that they were still on the beach, she woke her mate so they wouldn't be discovered. He started to rush around, trying to find all of his possessions. Tamashī couldn't help but smile at his frantic actions. As her mate put his clothes on she brushed as much sand as she could out of her fur.

Once they were ready they started back toward Undella Town. They moved quickly to avoid running into people on the beach. When they arrived back in Undella Town they headed to the Pokémon Center. Her mate had left Kinzoku there the day before, as the female Aggron hadn't been feeling well.

Her mate spoke briefly to the Nurse Joy behind the counter and she returned from the back room a moment later with Kinzoku's Pokeball. Nurse Joy smiled as she handed the Pokeball to her mate, who thanked her.

Tamashī felt a pang of jealously at this. She often worried that her mate would leave her for a member of his own kind, for a more normal, human relationship.

It was then that Nurse Joy looked at Tamashī curiously. "Excuse me," she started, speaking to Tamashī's mate, "I can't help but notice that your Lucario doesn't have a chest spike. Why might that be?"

Tamashī quickly became irritated. She didn't like others pointing out her lack of a chest spike. "What? Oh, right. That's just the way she is. But, if you wouldn't mind, it's kind of a sensitive subject..." her mate replied. Tamashī calmed down instantly, glad that her mate always cared enough to stop others from talking about it.

The two left the Pokémon Center, and Tamashī found herself thinking she was incredibly lucky to have a mate like Valor.

Despite it being their last day before working their way back home to the Sinnoh Region, Valor and Tamashī spent the day not doing much of anything. They simply enjoyed the weather and their time together.

That night, Tamashī found she was unable to sleep. She snuck out of the room she shared with her mate and went down to the beach. Sitting down on the sand she stared out at the ocean. After a short while another one of her mate's pokémon appeared beside her. It was the Ninetales her mate had named Kasai.

"Is something going on? You seem upset, Tamashī." Kasai had a concerned look on her face.

"I'm just having trouble sleeping, that's all."

"Really? Are you sure?" Kasai asked.

"Well," Tamashī began, "Lately I've been thinking that I'm putting Valor in danger just by being with him. I'm worried about what might happen."

"Maybe...maybe you should find a mate you can be with without so much...risk." At this point Kasai started to rub her body against Tamashī.

Tamashī leaned away, a confused look on her face. "What are you doing?!"

"Come now Tamashī, you must have felt the heat between us." Kasai replied with a devilish smile on her lips.

"No, I haven't! My heart belongs to Valor!"

Kasai jumped on top of her, pinning her to the ground. "I'm sure I can change that." Kasai replied, her eyes full of lust. "Now be quiet. I would hate to have to burn the fur off of your beautiful face." Keeping Tamashī pinned, Kasai proceeded to force her tongue into Tamashī's mouth.

Suddenly a pair of hands roughly pulled Kasai off of Tamashī and threw her to the ground a few feet away. "You know, I've always been able to tell when Tamashī is in trouble, no matter how far away she is from me." It was her mate, his entire body glowing bright green with the energy of his Aura, rage burning in his eyes.

* * *  
Valor stood between Kasai and Tamashī. He had oftentimes thought there was something...off about the Ninetales, but now his suspicions had been confirmed in the worst possible way. "Tamashī, are you all right?" Valor knew that emotionally she probably wasn't, but he was more immediately concerned with making sure she wasn't injured.

"I'm...I'm fine." she replied, communicating with him as only she could.

"Good." Valor breathed a sigh of relief. "Now, stay put. I'll deal with her."

"But..."

"Tamashī, I'm going to protect you. I don't care how much danger there is, I'm not going to abandon you. I'll always be there for you, no matter what." Tamashī nodded quietly, all her fears about the moment and their relationship disappearing at her mate's words.

Valor turned back to Kasai, who had recovered from being thrown by this point. The Fire-type was clearly ready for a fight. Valor and Kasai stared each other down for a moment, and then the attack came.

Kasai lashed out with an Energy Ball, clearly not seeking to simply maim or wound. Valor created an Aura shield, blocking the attack. Valor dropped the shield and launched an Aura sphere of his own. Kasai barely managed to dodge the attack, then retaliated with a Fire Blast. Valor blocked the flames, but could still feel the heat coming off them.

Kasai kept up the assault with an unending Flamethrower, forcing Valor to stay on the defensive. While maintaining his shield, Valor began to focus his Aura. He couldn't afford to hold back at a time like this. He planned to focus his Aura into a single point and fire off an Aura sphere comprised of that energy. He wanted to end the fight as soon as possible, and he hoped this would do just that.

When he amassed as much energy as he felt he could, he took a firing stance, and unleashed the Aura sphere. The sphere of energy shattered his shield and split the Flamethrower in two. It hit Kasai head on, knocking her back several meters and knocking her unconscious at the same time.

Valor walked over to where Kasai was and detached her Pokeball from his belt. He shattered the Pokeball with a pulse of Aura, effectively releasing the Ninetales. He dropped the pieces of the Pokeball on the ground next to the Ninetales and turned away.

Valor left the Ninetales where she was and walked over to where Tamashī was still sitting on the beach. He knelt down beside her and without warning she hugged him tightly, her body trembling slightly. Valor wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

A few minutes later, he picked her up in his arms, and carried her away from the beach. His only wish at that moment, was that he had come to her aid sooner.

* * *  
When Valor awoke the next morning he was surprised to find Tamashī beside him, still fast asleep. He couldn't blame her though, the previous night had been taxing on them both. Valor couldn't help but notice that she had a certain serene beauty as she slept. He watched as each slow, steady breath raised and lowered her chest. He thought about how important she was to him, and that he was glad he had been able to protect her.

As though she could sense that his thoughts were focused on her, Tamashī's eyes opened. Valor smiled. "Good morning. How are you feeling?"

"Better." Her soft voice echoed through his mind, conveying her feelings.

"Good." He leaned forward and kissed her, then got up and got ready to leave.

They left the Pokémon Center around an hour later and went to catch a train at the nearest station. After switching to another train in Nimbasa City they continued onward until they reached Mistralton City. Once in Mistralton they boarded a plane bound for the Sinnoh Region.

When the plane took off Valor couldn't help but notice Tamashī seemed...anxious. "You alright, Tamashī?"

"Just a bit nervous. I'm not used to flying." Even her Aura felt stressed.

"Right, you've never been on a plane before." Valor said, realizing the problem. Seeking to comfort her, he said, "Don't worry. It's perfectly safe. Besides, I won't let anything happen." Tamashī nodded, seeming a bit calmer. The plane landed several hours later at an off-shore airport in southern Sinnoh. After a short trip by boat they arrived in Sandgem Town. Deciding that it had been a long day, the two went to the Pokémon Center for the night.

Valor stood in the shower in their room at the Center, letting the warm water wash over him. He looked back over the events of the past week, thinking about all that had happened to them in that short period.

Galen had discovered their secret, Tamashī had nearly been raped by a psychopathic Ninetales, and their "vacation" in general had been stressful. Valor leaned against the wall of the shower and closed his eyes, trying to quiet his mind.

He suddenly felt a soft, warm body pressed against his. A second later he felt the familiar feeling of Tamashī's lips against his own, her tongue reaching deeply into his mouth. She stepped back, and Valor opened his eyes. There she stood, fur soaked by the water of the shower, a smile gracing her lips. Her voice entered his mind, saying, "You seemed, like you needed some comforting."

Valor laughed. "Do I tell you often enough that I love you?"

"Yes, but it's still nice to hear." Tamashī kissed him again, and he could feel his manhood growing harder. Tamashī broke off the kiss, and began to run her tongue down his body. She knelt down and ran her tongue along his now fully erect length. She lightly kissed the tip, and, inch by inch, slid his manhood into her mouth. Valor closed his eyes again, enjoying the feeling a she continued sliding her mouth up and down around his length, stroking it with her tongue as she went. He started to feel heat building, and then he filled her mouth with his seed, of which she swallowed as much as she could.

Having finished him off, Tamashī decided it was her turn. She firmly but gently pulled him down to the floor of the shower, then made him lay back against the wall. With the water still flowing over them she stroked his manhood to bring it back to full readiness. With him fully erect once more she positioned her entrance over his swollen head and started press him into her, moaning slightly as she did so. She continued to press down until his entire length was in her and he could feel his tip lightly brushing up against the entrance to her womb.

She started raising and lowering herself, sliding up and down on his erect member. Valor reached up to steady himself against the wall, but instead, his hand slipped on the shower knob, causing the water to run cold. Tamashī shuddered with pleasure as the cold water mixed with the warmth of her mate's body. She pressed her body against his, feeling her orgasm coming. It hit her a moment later, then one turned into many. Valor felt his own orgasm a few seconds later, sending another blast of his liquid love deep into her body.

Tamashī all but collapsed on top of him, spent from her exertions. Valor turned off the water, and after they had dried themselves, they went to bed, both truly and thoroughly happy for the first time in days.


	4. Chpater 3: Twinleaf

As Valor and Tamashī left the Center the next day they were stopped by the Center's Nurse Joy. "Excuse me, you're Valor, right?"

"Yes. What can I help you with?"

"Some of the other Trainers told me that they heard some...unusual noises coming from your room. Do you know what that's about?"

"No. No idea. Maybe they were hearing things." Valor lied quickly.

"Oh. Well okay then. We hope to see you again!" Nurse Joy walked away with her usual cheer, leaving Valor and Tamashī by themselves.

"That was too close." Valor let out a sigh. "Do I need to get you a muzzle?" He asked Tamashī playfully.

"Maybe..." Tamashī responded, a mischievous gleam in her eye.

Valor laughed. "Come on. I want to pick up one of my other pokémon from Professor Rowan before heading to Twinleaf Town." They left the Center, Valor thinking about which of his pokémon would be best to replace his recently released Ninetales.

When they reached the Professor's lab they went in and were greeted by one of Rowan's aids. "Hello, how may I help you?"

"Is the Professor here? I'd like to retrieve one of my pokémon." Valor explained.

"The Professor isn't here right now, but I can get your pokémon for you."

"Great. I'd like my Volcarona, Akatsuki." Valor replied.

"Alright, wait here." The aid left the room and returned a moment later, a Pokeball in hand. "Here you go, your Volcarona."

"Thanks!" Valor took the Pokeball and attached it to his belt. He bid the aid farewell and he and Tamashī left, bound for home in Twinleaf Town.  
* * *

As a Pokémon Trainer, Valor was always traveling. He usually stayed in hotels and Pokémon Centers, so he had no house of his own. Despite this, both he and Tamashī thought of Twinleaf Town as home.

As they entered the town that afternoon, Valor took it all in. The smell of the pine trees he had grown up with, the slight chill in the air, and the quiet serenity that filled every part of the town.

Of course, the town wasn't as quiet as usual at this time of year. It was autumn, the time of year for the Twinleaf Festival. Valor had made a point of always returning home for the Festival. The Festival last year had meant even more to him, as it had been the first one he had spent with Tamashī.

Unfortunately, being with Tamashī had added to one problem. Valor's mother got on his case every year about how he didn't have a girlfriend, and how she wanted grandchildren. Valor naturally hadn't told his mother about his relationship with Tamashī, so he knew he would hear the same speech every year for the rest of his life.

It wasn't long before they arrived at the house Valor had grown up in. He paused, then reached for the doorknob, not for the first time thinking that his life might be easier if he didn't have to hide his and Tamashī's relationship.

* * *

Tamashī could tell her mate was reluctant to enter the house. It was all too clear why though. He had explained to her how much his mother wanted him to find a human mate. Her mate took a deep breath, and opened the door. "Hello? Mom? You home?" He called out once inside the house.

"Valor! You're home!" Her mate's mother came down the stairs, a smile on her face. Her mate and his mother hugged, then they sat down and started to talk. Tamashī always felt that humans talked too much, especially when so much could be said without a sound. One of the things Tamashī loved so much about her mate was that he understood the finer points of communication between two hearts.

Tamashī eventually nodded off as the conversation continued. When she woke up she could see it was already dark outside. "Well, it's getting late, and we've been on the road all day. Plus, I would hate to miss the start off the Festival tomorrow. I'm going to bed." Her mate got up from the table he and his mother were sitting at, and motioned for Tamashī to follow him.

"Alright. Goodnight then. And goodnight to you too Tamashī." Her mate's mother said this as they climbed up the stairs.

A moment later they entered her mate's bedroom, closing the door behind them.

* * *  
Valor locked the door behind them, and breathed a sigh of relief, glad that his mother hadn't brought up his love life. He turned away from the door and walked over to his bed. He kicked off his shoes, pulled off his shirt, and worked his way under the covers. Tamashī snuggled up against him, her soft fur brushing up against his bare upper body. Tamashī began to run her paw along his chest, her mind clearly on something other than sleeping. Valor placed a hand over her paw, and smiled sadly. "Tamashī, you're too loud. What if my mother hears us?"

Tamashī looked disappointed for a moment, then a sly smile crept its way onto her face. "There are...things I can do for you, without making any noise."

Valor sighed. "You and your libido. Tell you what, I'm going to...try something. But you have to be quiet. One sound and I stop, okay?"

Tamashī nodded, a curious look replacing her smile. Valor ran his hand down her body, stopping less than an inch from her entrance. He then proceeded to run his hand along the opening, eliciting a slight gasp of pleasure from her. Having never done this before, he let instinct take over. He continued to run his hand back and forth along her lower lips, then began to use his other hand to massage one of her nipples.

This was almost too much for her, and she began biting her bottom lip, trying desperately to stay quiet. Valor began pushing his fingers into her one by one. He had never felt the inside of her before, yet it was somehow familiar. It was soft and warm, like her fur, but it was also moist. With his hand almost entirely inside her, he rubbed her inner walls, enjoying the sensation.

Tamashī was trembling now, doing everything in her power not to lose control. Between her mate's hand rubbing against her insides and his other hand massaging her nipple with a circular motion, she was struggling not to lose her mind to sheer pleasure. Her breath came in ragged gasps as she continued to fight the urge to cry out.

Valor continued stroking her inner walls until he felt a spasm running through her muscles, signalling her orgasm. Her breathing became faster still as more orgasms ripped through her body. Valor withdrew his hand, causing another involuntary shudder to run through her body.

Valor smiled. "You think that'll hold you over for a while?" Tamashī nodded, a similar smile on her face. They kissed, then fell asleep, both satisfied.

* * *  
They were woken up the next morning by the sound of knocking on the bedroom door, accompanied by the sound of Valor's mother's voice. "Valor sweetie, I've made breakfast if you want any."

Valor got up, changed his clothes, then he and Tamashī headed downstairs together. They were greeted by the smell of bacon and eggs coming from the kitchen. They both took seats at the dining room table, though Tamashī naturally wasn't going to be eating the human food, she simply wanted to be near Valor. His mother came in the room and placed a plate in front of him. She left and returned a moment later with a plate of her own, and they started to eat.

"So, I don't suppose you've found yourself a girlfriend yet, have you?"

Valor coughed, nearly choking on the food in his mouth, blindsided by the question. After recovering, he found his voice. "Uh, no I haven't."

"You know, I worry about you. The last, and only, time you had a girlfriend was four years ago. What was her name?" His mother had begun a familiar pattern of conversation, a pattern that Valor was none too fond of.

"Aitana." He replied, beginning to feel irritated.

"Right, Aitana. Why did you break up with her again?"

"I didn't. She broke up with me. She thought I wasn't really attracted to her." Which, considering my current relationship, may be true of human women in general, Valor thought to himself.

His mother quiet for a moment, then said, "Valor, be honest with me. Are you gay?"

"No, I'm not! By Arceus, where would you get an idea like that from!?"

"Honey, it's alright if you are. I'll support you no matter what."

"Well I'm not, okay?" Valor asked clearly exasperated. His mother dropped the subject, and they resumed eating.

A few minutes later, Valor could hear Tamashī's voice in his mind. "Valor, you should tell her about us. She's your mother. She deserves to know."

Valor sighed. "Fine, but don't blame me if this doesn't end well."

"What are you talking about?" His mother asked with a confused look on her face.

Valor took a deep breath. "You know how you said you would support me no matter what? Well, you see, I wouldn't be to dead set on having grandchildren, if I were you."

* * *  
His mother simply sat there, dumbfounded. Valor had specifically left out the sexual aspect of his relationship with Tamashī, but he wasn't surprised that the information had shocked her. An awkward, deafening silence filled the room as his mother tried to process what he had told her.

The silence was broken by the front door of the house opening. Sauntering in came Galen, Luxor by his side. "Hey kid, I just got back in town, so I thought I'd see how you were-" Galen stopped mid-sentence as he recognized the mood in the room.

Valor's mother was suddenly on her feet. She rushed toward Galen, a look of pure rage on her face. Galen was forced to back up against a wall by her advance. She stopped less than a foot in front of him, then spoke. "You! You're the cause of this!"

Galen looked confused. "Me? What did I do?"

"You gave my son that Arceus forsaken Riolu egg!"

Realization dawned on Galen, and he looked over at Valor. "You told her? By the Original One kid, I told you that you needed to keep it a secret!"

"You knew about this?" Valor's mother was becoming angrier every moment.

"Yes, I knew about his relationship with Tamashī. Yes, I knew they were sleeping together. I kept their secret because they're in love."

Valor's mother was silent for a moment. Then, in a deathly quiet voice, she said, "They're doing WHAT together?"

Valor winced. "Galen, I hadn't exactly told her about that...particular part of the situation...as of yet." Now, I'm screwed, Valor thought.

"This-this is just...wrong! It's unnatural!"

"Why? Because you don't understand it? Because it's out of the ordinary?" Galen countered.

"Listen you, that little slut-" She was cut off by the sound of Valor's chair hitting the ground.

"Don't you DARE talk about her like that!" Valor was standing now, his eyes burning with a fury to rival the intensity of the sun. "Tamashī and I love each other! If you can't deal with that then the only problem here is you!" Tamashī nodded in agreement with him. With that they both walked out of the house, ending the discussion.

After they left, Galen suddenly burst out laughing.

"What could possibly be funny about this?" Valor's mother asked him.

"Nothing. Just remembering the timid boy who used to follow me around all the time. Amazing how much ten years can change a person." Galen and Luxor left the house, leaving Valor's mother alone with her anger and confusion.

The Twinleaf Festival was in full swing. The center of town was full of people. Vendors were selling their wares, children were running through the streets, and everyone seemed to be enjoying the festivities.

Valor on the other hand was finding it difficult to think about anything but the conversation with his mother this morning.

"You really shouldn't let her reaction bother you kid." Galen was walking beside him, clearly intent on making sure his friend was alright.

Valor sighed. "What do you mean?"

"Well first off, you gave her some rather...shocking news. You can't really expect a rational reaction." Galen was right of course, though Valor didn't want to admit it.

"Second, no mother ever likes the women her son brings home." Galen said this rather matter-of-factly.

"How do you know that?" Valor asked sceptically.

Galen chuckled. "Experience. In fact, my mother still doesn't get along with my wife, and we've been together for nine years."

Valor didn't respond, but instead he seemed consumed in thought. The four of them continued walking through town. Eventually they wound up seated on a park bench, except for Luxor who was lying on the ground next to the bench. After a few moments, Valor spoke. "Galen, I-we-have been wondering for a while. Do you know if it's possible for a human to get a pokémon pregnant?"

Galen sighed. "I've done some research into the subject. There is a chance of conception, but it's so small it's almost not worth mentioning."

Valor and Tamashī looked at each other for a moment, then he turned back to Galen. "How much chance?"

"Well, it comes down to genetic compatibility. There are a few records of cases where a human and pokémon conceived a child, but that level of compatibility is...extremely rare."

Valor looked confused. "So, if there have been children produced by these couples, why haven't I ever heard of any half-human/half-pokémon beings?"

"It's like when you breed two pokémon, the resulting offspring will be the same species as the mother." Galen explained. "This means that if you somehow managed to get Tamashī pregnant, your children would be Riolus."

Valor and Tamashī were both smiling, enjoying the idea. "Somehow, I don't think my mother would be too thrilled with that."

"All that really matters in the end is that you love each other." Galen stood up and started to walk away. "See you later kid. I haven't slept in two days, so I'm going to rectify that problem." Valor and Tamashī watched him go, both feeling better than they had all day.

***  
For the rest of the day Valor and Tamashī did as Galen suggested, and simply didn't let earlier events bother them. They just relaxed, and enjoyed the festival. It was when night fell that everything went downhill.

As they walked through town that evening Valor's mind was focused on finding a place for them to sleep that night. He doubted it would be a good idea to return to his mother's house. If Twinleaf Town had any flaws, it was that it didn't have any hotels or a Pokémon Center.

Valor continued to think on this problem when suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by a rather...stupid voice coming from behind them. "Look boys, its little Coward."

Valor recognized the voice immediately. It was the voice of a man that had tormented him for most of his life. He slowly turned around, and found himself in the shadow of his childhood bully, Dorrik. Dorrik stood over six feet tall and was thickly built. As always he had a group of similarly built people gathered around him as a gang of sorts.

Ever since they were kids Valor had been the primary focus of Dorrik's bullying. Dorrik was rather fond of mocking Valor's name and his height. It wasn't Valor's fault he was only 5'6", and it really wasn't his fault that his mother had named him after the lake where he was conceived.

But that didn't matter. Dorrik continued to mock and ridicule him even now. "So Valor-less, how've ya been?"

Valor stayed silent, determined not to give Dorrik the satisfaction of eliciting a response. "What's the matter? I asked ya a question. After all, I didn' get ta see ya last year, and I'd like to know what my favourite little weakling has been up ta."

This time Valor chose to respond. "You know Dorrik, it's the people like you that make it look like people from Twinleaf are a bunch of dumb hicks."

Dorrik laughed. "Well, well. Looks like someone finally grew 'imself a spine." The others behind Dorrik laughed, all seeming amused by the idea. "Ya know, ya really shouldn' pick a fight ya can't win."

It was then that Dorrik noticed Tamashī. "Would ya look at that. Ya went and got yourself a Lucario. Seems like kind of a tough pokémon for such a weak little guy, don' ya think?" Then, an ugly grin spread across his face. "I get it now. It's only yer pokémon because it's a reject. It doesn' have a chest spike. It's deformed!" Dorrik and his gang all started laughing.

Going after him was one thing, but Valor wouldn't stand for insults being aimed at Tamashī. "SHE is NOT deformed. Now back off and leave her out of this!"

It was no use though. Once Dorrik found a button to push, he would push it until it broke. "So what happened then, did its spike break off?" They all broke out laughing again, and Valor could see that Tamashī's anger was growing at a very fast rate.

Tamashī was, for lack of a better word, pissed. First this stupid, ugly human had insulted her mate and now he was mocking her as well. She didn't understand it. All the humans she had met in the past had been kind toward one another and toward pokémon, but this human seemed to revel in the pain and stress he caused.

Her mate was trying to make him stop, but he simply didn't. Tamashī was so angry she couldn't see straight. All she could hear was the mocking laughter of the humans before her. Then, a hand was placed on her shoulder.

Blinded by rage, she didn't think, she just reacted. She turned and blasted an Aura Sphere at whomever it was that had dared to lay a hand on her. Her rage suddenly turned into horror. Lying unconscious on the ground was her mate.

Not knowing what to do, she turned and ran. The only thought in her mind was one of fear, fear that Valor would never forgive her.


	5. Interlude I: Memories of Love

As Valor lay in bed, still unconscious, his dreams transformed into memories...

...Valor watched as the egg Galen had given him only two days before began to glow. He had never seen a pokémon egg hatch before, so he couldn't help but be amazed. The glow intensified, then faded, leaving a Riolu in its place. He pulled out his Pokedex and scanned the little pokémon. The Riolu was female, and she knew Growl and Quick Attack. Valor smiled, and she smiled in return. There was something strangely endearing about this little blue pokémon. "So, I guess you need a name then."

She looked at him curiously. Valor thought for a moment, then, an idea came to him. "What about...Tamashī? It means 'soul'." Tamashī smiled again, seeming happy with her new name...

...It had only been about a week since she had hatched, but Tamashī had already grown quite strong. The trainer they were currently battling was obviously dismayed when Tamashī defeated his Kirllia. Suddenly, Tamashī's body began glowing. Enveloped in light, her body began to change. She became taller and stronger. When the light faded, it revealed not a Riolu, but a Lucario.

Tamashī looked down at her new body for a moment, then, without warning, she ran over and hugged him tightly. The first thing he noticed was that he wasn't dying of a puncture wound. The second thing he noticed was how soft and warm she felt. Then, Valor felt something he never had before. He could feel his heart race, his face grow warm, and his stomach tighten. Then, it was over. Tamashī released him, and backed away.

It was then that Valor noticed for the first time that she didn't have the usual Lucario chest spike. Realizing where he was looking, she self-consciously that area with one paw.

Valor looked away. "Sorry. I...didn't mean to upset you." He suddenly found himself wondering why he cared so much about offending her. He made a point of always being considerate of his pokémons' feelings, but this was...different. It was almost as though he was...in love with her...

...Valor was knocked back, falling to the ground for what felt like the thousandth time. "Come on kid, you're going to have to do better than that." Valor and Tamashī had spent the last two months in the middle of the forest, training under Galen and Riley. Their time thus far had been spent learning to sense Aura and the basics of controlling it.

Now they were learning the basics of Aura-based combat. Tamashī was a natural at it, but for Valor it was more difficult. Valor looked over to where sparing, just as he and Galen were.

As he watched her, his heart soared. Though he hadn't accepted it at first, he had come to realize that he did indeed love her. It was both exciting and frightening. Now, the more he got to know her, the more he loved her. He especially enjoyed watching her battle. She was both graceful and powerful; it was entrancing.

"Hey kid, you alright? You seem kind of out of it."

Valor blushed slightly. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"Then get back up and let's try this again." Galen moved back into a fighting position. Valor begrudgingly got back up, feeling sore already...

...Valor looked down at the Pokeball in his hand. Her Pokéball. They had finished their training only a few days before, and now Valor had decided it was time to tell Tamashī how he felt about her.

He was sitting on the edge of the bed in a room in a Pokémon Center, trying to find the courage to proceed. Taking a deep breath, he pressed the button on the Pokeball. There was a flash of pale blue light, and Tamashī was standing before him. "Tamashī, I need to talk to you about something...important."

Tamashī sat down next to him, looking concerned. "What's wrong?"

Valor quivered slightly, enjoying the still somewhat new sound of her voice in his mind. Valor gulped. "It's not that something is wrong. But it is difficult to talk about." He paused, then continued. "Tamashī, I've felt close to you, ever since you hatched. But, for a while now, I've seen a strengthening in those feelings. Tamashī, I think-no, I know- that I'm...very deeply in love...with you."

Tamashī's eyes went wide, then he said, "I know this sounds crazy and weird. I know I must sound like some pathetic loser who can't find a woman of his own species, but-" He was interrupted by Tamashī wrapping her arms around his neck, and drawing him close. Then, for the first time, they kissed.

It was nothing short of exhilarating. Valor was rather disappointed when she pulled away a moment later, but judging by her expression it wouldn't be their last kiss. "Valor, I love you, and I have for a while now, but there is something I should tell you before we go any further. When Lucarios choose a mate, we mate for life. So, if we do this, there is no going back."

Valor smiled. "What makes you think I would want to spend my life with anyone else?" Before she could answer, Valor leaned towards her, initiating another kiss. He leaned back onto the bed, pulling her down with him, still locked together in an increasingly passionate kiss. At this point Valor was beginning to feel his pants grow tighter.

Tamashī laughed, pulling away slightly. "It feels like someone is getting excited. I suppose we should do something about that." Valor blushed and after what felt like years, he was undressed.

"Tamashī, are you absolutely sure about this?"

"Yes." With that she began pressing her entrance against his hardened member, breaking her hymen, and taking them into sin together. The first thing she felt was pain. Then, as she continued to move down his length, the pain changed into pleasure. She let out a gasp, surprised by the new sensation.

She laid herself down against his body, and they began to kiss once more. She started to slide up and down along his manhood, both enjoying the feeling.

Valor was overwhelmed, trying to process everything he was feeling. Her fur brushing against his skin, their lips pressed so firmly together, her entrance moving along his length, and, most of all, his love for her.

At almost the same time they started to feel pressure building within their bodies. Valor's orgasm came first, the strange, yet wonderful feeling sending his fertile seed into her body. Tamashī felt a similar sensation a moment later, causing her entire body to start quivering.

She collapsed on top of him a moment later, both panting heavily, but both happier than they had ever been...


	6. Chapter 4: Sanctuary

Valor's eyes opened, and he felt pain. Then, he remembered. In her anger, Tamashī had accidentally attacked him. He tried to sit-up, but the pain in his midsection was too great.

The bedroom door opened, and in came his mother, looking relieved. "Oh good, you're awake. I was so worried." She turned to close the door as she said, "Maybe now you'll see that I was right. A human and a pokémon just aren't meant to form a relationship like tha- what are you doing?!"

Valor had managed to sit-up by now, and was working on getting out of the bed. His mother rushed over, trying to make him lie back down. Breathing heavily, and struggling to work through the pain, he snapped. "Get off me! I have to find her. I know you think it's 'unnatural', but I love her, and she needs me, because right now, she is probably scared and worried more than you can imagine!"

She backed away, silenced and shocked by her son's reaction. Valor stood, and slowly made his way out of the room. Clinging to the wall the whole way, he moved through the hall and down the stairs. After several painstaking minutes he arrived at the front door.

Going outside, he worked his way along the house, the stopped and looked around, wondering where to start looking. "She's at Lake Verity." Valor turned his head and saw Galen walking toward him.

Arriving at Valor's side, Galen wrapped his arm around Valor's torso, and began guiding him down the path, supporting his weight. Looking confused, he asked, "What-ungh-are you doing?"

"Didn't you hear me? Tamashī is at Lake Verity. You're in no fit condition to get there on your own, so here I am, carrying your ass for the second time in two days."

"The second time? What are you talking about?"

Galen smiled. "Who do you think brought you home last night?"

"Oh. You always seem to show up when something interesting is going on." Valor looked concerned as his thoughts returned to Tamashī. "Why is she at Lake Verity? What is she doing?"

"She's hiding. She's afraid that you won't forgive her." Galen said this rather somberly.

Valor was stunned. "How could she think that? There's nothing, that she could do, that would make me unable to forgive her."

There was a flash of light from under Galen's jacket, and Riley appeared before them. Valor then heard a gruff, but equally kind voice in his mind. "That's good to hear. I suppose you're not as much of an idiot as I first thought."

Valor's eyes went wide. "Riley? Is-is that your voice?"

Galen sighed. "It's him alright. I believe he wants a word with you."

Valor gulped, then heard Riley's voice once again. "Exactly. First off, I don't like you. You're weak willed, and, near as I can tell, you're not too bright either. However, Tamashī loves you-for reasons I can't begin to figure out-so, I'm willing to put my feelings aside for my daughter's happiness. But I still don't like you."

Ignoring the insults interwoven into the speech, Valor smiled. "Thanks Riley."

"Alright, let's get you to the lake, shall we?" Galen asked.

Valor nodded, still smiling. "Let's go."

* * *  
Tamashī sat on the shores of Lake Verity, her knees drawn up to her chest, using them as a headrest. She was-as she had been since the night before-replaying the events of the previous night in her mind. Her anger. Her blind attack. Valor lying unconscious on the ground.

Tamashī sighed. Even if he does forgive me, she thought, I don't think I'll be able to forgive myself.

"Emotions can be such troublesome things, would you not agree?"

Tamashī looked up, and was surprised to see a small pink pokémon floating lazily in front of her.

"You're-" Tamashī started.

"That is right! Mesprit, the Being of Emotion!" Mesprit punctuated this by doing a flip through the air. She then righted herself, and came to rest floating in front of Tamashī.

"Great. What do you want?" Tamashī was in no fit mood to deal with this cheerful little pokémon, and she wanted her to know it.

"Oh, do not be like that. How could I not be here? You came to my home feeling such powerful emotions. Besides, I am here to help." Mesprit had a sly smile on her face as she said this.

"Help how?" Tamashī asked, more interested now.

"Simple. I drain away your emotions. No more anger, no more sadness...no more heartbreak."

"You mean, you could take away...all of these terrible feelings?" Tamashī was suddenly hopeful.

"No. I cannot be that specific about it. I would have to take ALL of your emotions."

Now Tamashī didn't know what to do. She didn't want to be sad anymore, and she didn't want to let her anger get the better of her again, but she couldn't let go of her love for Valor, not to mention the happy memories of their times together...

"Tamashī!"

She turned and saw Valor standing at the edge of the woods, leaning against a tree for support. He had left the others behind, knowing he had to go in alone. Tamashī began to back away, scared of what might be about to happen.

"Tamashī, please, don't run. You don't have to run. I don't blame you for what happened, it wasn't your fault. I don't want to lose you, not over this, or at all. I love you, and being in love means never having to say you're sorry. No matter what, I'll always forgive you. I'll always love you. You'll always be my mate." As meaningful as his words were, it was the look in her mate's eyes that convinced her.

She ran to him, and a moment later he was holding her close to himself. It was then that, for the first time in her life, Tamashī cried. She cried partly in sadness, knowing the pain she had caused him. There were also tears of joy though, as she was happy. Happy that he had forgiven her, that he still loved her.

Mesprit watched for a moment, then left, knowing she wasn't needed anymore.

A short while later, they set off for Twinleaf, Tamashī helping Valor along as the sun set, reflecting on the lake.

* * *  
Waking up the next morning, Valor happily noted that he was in less pain then the day before. Tamashī was snuggled up against him, still asleep. They had returned to his mother's house the night before for the sake of convenience, and, luckily, they had avoided actually running into his mother.

Tamashī woke up with a yawn, then her voice rang out in his mind. "Good morning. How-how are you feeling?"

Valor could hear the guilt in her voice. He tried to smile convincingly as he said, "I'm feeling better. You don't have to worry, I'll be fine."

She ran a paw along his body for a moment, then smiled. "Maybe I can help you feel a little better."

This surprised him. "I don't think that would help. I'm not in the best condition for that kind of...activity."

"Who said you had to do anything?" Before he could stop her she dove under the covers and pulled his pants down to his knees.

"Hold on! You don't have to do thaaah." He trailed off as she ran her tongue along his length.

She then slipped it between her lips, and pushed her head down as far as she could. She pulled back for a moment, then went down again. She continued with this pattern, each motion causing a tingle of pleasure to run through him.

Noticing how she was positioned, he decided she should get as much out of this as he was going to. He reached out, and began stroking her entrance, causing her to moan slightly. He pushed his way into her, enjoying the now familiar feeling of her passageway.

Her body began to tremble slightly, causing her fur to ripple as well. He could feel the warmth building in his member, signalling that it would soon come to an end. He increased his efforts, trying to make sure she would finish as well.

It was only a moment later that her felt his muscles contract, sending his seed into her mouth. She swallowed as much as she could, the pulled away completely. His efforts came to fruition a minute later, sending another ripple through her fur as she felt her own orgasm.

They both lay there for a moment, a little breathless, then she turned herself back around, bringing them face-to-face. Valor couldn't help but smile as he looked into her beautiful, sparkling red eyes. He wrapped his arms around her, and said, "Thanks, I think I do feel a bit better." She snuggled back up against him, and, though she didn't say anything, he could sense her happiness.

* * *  
Valor's mother sat in the living room, wondering how to proceed. She knew what she wanted to say, but she didn't know if Valor would be willing to listen. There was the sound of a door opening, so she prepared herself for what was coming.

Valor and Tamashī came down the stairs, but, before she could react, her son spoke. "Don't worry, we're leaving. You don't have to be in the presence of our 'unnatural' relationship any longer."

They continued toward the door, and she spoke up, not wanting to lose this chance. "Valor wait! I-I wanted to say-I'm sorry. I think-I was wrong about you two."

Valor stopped, turned to face her, and crossed his arms. "That's great, but I already knew you were wrong. Besides, I'm not the one you need to apologize to. If you want forgiveness, talk to her."

She looked at Tamashī, and the Lucario stared back. Tamashī's piercingly red eyes seemed to be looking into her soul, and she gulped, not sure what to do. Valor was clearly irritated as he said, "Well. We're waiting."

"I-I truly am sorry, Tamashī. I wish I hadn't treated you so horribly. I don't expect you to forgive me, but, I hate the idea of not having a good relationship with my son...or the one he loves." She didn't know what to expect as a response, but she certainly wasn't expecting what came next.

She could hear a female voice in her head, one that clearly didn't belong to her. "I will forgive you, but not because of your apology. I will forgive you because Valor is my mate, and, to my mind, that makes us family."

Her eyes went wide with shock, and she managed to stammer out, "O-oh. W-well that's nice."

Valor smirked. "Kind of a shock, huh, hearing her like that." His mother nodded, and they started toward the door once again.

She was confused. Hadn't they just resolved the issue? "Hold on, where are you going?"

Already through the door, Valor looked back to her. "Don't worry, we'll be back later. We might as well enjoy the festival while it's here, right?"

"Oh. Uh, right, I guess so. Well, I'll see you both later then." She watched as they walked away, wondering just what the future would hold for them.

***  
"So, I guess that makes both of our respective parents, huh?" Valor and Tamashī were walking through town, enjoying the sights and sounds of the festival.

Tamashī looked at him, not understanding. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, our respective parents aren't against us anymore."

Tamashī smiled. "That is a nice change, not to mention a relief."

They continued onward through town, both happy with this small victory. It certainly wasn't mass acceptance, but it was a start.

It was a quiet sort of day. Despite the festival, the town had a strange serenity about it. One could hear every sound on such a day, straight down to the rustling of leaves.

Valor stretched and yawned, feeling suddenly sleepy. It was similar to the pleasant sleepiness he felt after his and Tamashī's amorous activities, or at least he thought so.

Looking up ahead of them, Valor could see a small cafe with round tables surrounding. Sitting at one of these tables was Galen, Luxor lying on the ground next to him. Sitting next to him was a man that Valor didn't recognize. Spotting them, Galen waved, signalling for them to come over to the table. He greeted them once they got to the table. "Hey you two. How ya feeling kid?"

Valor placed a hand on his stomach. "Still a bit sore, but otherwise I'm fine. So um...who's your friend?"

The other man became visibly irritated, as though it were the most ridiculous question in the world. Galen snickered, then said, "This is the second highest ranked trainer in the world, Red."

Recognition clicked as soon as Valor heard the name. "Oh yeah, I remember you. You were the World Champion until Galen beat you six years ago. So, what are you doing in Twinleaf?"

Red pointed to Galen, seeming even more irritated. "I came here to challenge him."

"Yes, and I told you I would battle you again when you stopped caring so much about winning."

"You say that as though you don't care about winning." Red countered.

"I want to win, I try to win, but I don't let that consume me. That's the difference."

It was quiet for a moment, then Valor spoke. "Well Red, if you really want a battle, I'll battle you."

"Uh, kid that's not such a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Because, he'll put all of your pokémon in full body casts." Galen answered as though this were obvious.

"They weren't that badly hurt against your pokémon." Valor responded indignantly.

"My pokémon were holding back. Red is not so kind. Besides, Red never battles anyone he thinks won't provide a challenge."

"Actually Galen," Red began, "I haven't been in a battle in a while. This could be good practice for REAL opponents. I accept your challenge, uh...what exactly is your name?"

Fully awake now, he answered. "Valor, and you'll find I'm a stronger trainer than I look."

"Sure you are. I'd like to keep this simple though. How about your strongest pokémon against my strongest; one-on-one." Red had a clearly condescending tone to his voice.

"Fine by me. Let's go." Now Valor was determined to battle him, if only to wipe the smug look off his face.

Red got up, and they started to walk away. Galen got up a few seconds later, Luxor at his heels. This isn't going to end well, he thought to himself.

***  
Tamashī stood by her mate's side, looking out across the battlefield he and Red had chosen. A crowd of people had gathered in the area, excited to see a battle between someone from Twinleaf, and one of the strongest trainers in the world. Some seemed disappointed that Galen wasn't involved in the battle, but from what Tamashī could tell most of them were supporting her mate.

"Alright, everybody listen up! I'm not going to repeat myself!" Red was at the other end of the battlefield, speaking loud enough for everyone to hear. "This is going to be a one-on-one battle. It will be over when either trainer's pokémon is no longer able to continue. As the challenger, Valor will choose his pokémon first."

Her mate started to reach toward his belt, so she placed a paw on his arm, drawing his attention. "Valor, he said he wanted to battle your strongest pokémon. We both know that means me."

"But..."

"Valor, you may be my mate, but you are also my trainer. Now is the time to act like it. Don't worry, I can handle myself."

Her mate took a deep breath. "Alright, but be careful."

Tamashī nodded then walked out onto the battlefield. "So, your Lucario then. Alright, here's my choice." Red pulled a Pokeball off his belt, and clicked the button on the front. There was a brief flash of light, and Tamashī found herself staring down a Pikachu.

The Pikachu had a confident look on his face, as though he had no doubt about what the outcome would be. "Ready to lose, Lucario?"

"MY NAME is Tamashī, and you shouldn't count me out just yet." She growled back.

"The first move is yours, Valor." Red called out.

"Alright then. Tamashī, Aura Sphere!" With that, the battle began. Tamashī did as instructed and fired an Aura Sphere toward Red's Pikachu. He dodged at the last moment, and Red had him strike back with a Thunderbolt.

The battle continued in this fashion. She used Flash Cannon, and he countered with Iron Tail. She fired a Dragon Pulse, and he dodged with Quick Attack. Neither could land more than a glancing blow on the other. They wouldn't be able to continue like that forever though. As the battle drew on Tamashī could feel herself tiring, and she could tell Pikachu was experiencing a similar effect.

"This battle has gone on for long enough. I was going to take it easy on you, but no more." Red smiled, looking as though he had a very nasty plan. "Pikachu, Volt Tackle!" Pikachu's body became wrapped in electricity and he charged forward, clearly intent on colliding with her. A second later she could feel electricity surging through her body, and then, she heard her mate calling her name.  
***

"Tamashī!"

Valor could no longer see her, as the entire battlefield was shrouded in dust. He struggled to look through the debris, not knowing what to expect. If she was hurt...

The dust started to clear, revealing the results of Pikachu's attack. Pikachu was shaking slightly, clearly feeling the recoil from Volt Tackle. It was Tamashī though that had everyone's attention. There were gasps off awe from the crowd as she became visible. Not only was she still standing, but her entire body was shining with the bright, emerald-green light of her Aura.

Valor could feel relief washing over him. "Tamashī, you're alright."

She looked at him over her shoulder, and he could hear her voice in his mind. "I told you I could take care of myself."

Valor smiled. "Yeah, you did." Redirecting his attention to his opponent, he asked, "So Red, what do you say we put an end to this?"

Red nodded resolutely. "Yes, let's. Pikachu, Volt Tackle!"

"Aura Sphere!"

The attacks collided, producing a massive flash of light. Valor turned away, shielding his eyes. When the light faded, he turned back, and was amazed by what he saw. Red's Pikachu was unconscious, and, though she was no longer cloaked in her Aura, Tamashī was still standing. "We...won?" Valor asked in disbelief. His disbelief was nothing though, compared to the shock and disbelief on Red's face.

"Tamashī, we won!" They quickly covered the distance between them, and hugged each other tightly. "That was amazing. YOU were amazing."

"I couldn't have done it without you, Valor." Realizing that there was still a crowd of people watching, they quickly separated themselves, both blushing, although it was only visible on Valor's face.

***  
Galen stood up from where he had been watching the battle. The kid had managed to surprise him, but then, the kid did have a talent for surprising people. Galen walked over to Red, who was still clearly in shock. "So Red, learn anything from this?"

Regaining his composure, Red nodded. "Clearly, my bond with my pokémon isn't strong enough. Not when compared to theirs."

"There may be hope for you yet. So, what are you going to do now?"

Red returned his Pikachu to its Pokeball, then turned and started to walk away. He stopped for a moment, then said, "Not sure. But I do know that I need...to become more like you...and like Valor. I need to become the person I used to be, the person I was when I started out all those years ago." Red disappeared into the crowd, leaving Galen to marvel at the influence the kid seemed to have on people.

***  
The next few days passed in a blur, and, for the first time in what felt like forever, Valor and Tamashī were able to enjoy simple peace and quiet. By the final day of the festival Valor had fully recovered, and Tamashī's accidental attack was nothing but a bad memory.

After spending the last day of the festival in town, they returned to his mother's house. While Valor and his mother were eating dinner, Tamashī had decided to lie down on the couch in the living room, not to sleep, but merely to rest.

As she lay there, she suddenly, seemingly without cause, began to feel very...needy. It felt as though it had been an eternity since she and her mate had properly...mated. However, it clearly wasn't the time or place for such things. Seeking privacy, she quietly made her way up to her mate's room, closing the door behind her.

Still downstairs, it was a few moments before Valor noticed that Tamashī was no longer in the living room. Always concerned for her well-being, he closed his eyes, reached out with his Aura, and quickly found her on the floor above. Once he realized what she was doing his eyes snapped open, and he could feel his face growing warm. Standing up, he said, "Excuse me. I just realized something requires my attention."

Before his mother could respond, he left the room and hurried upstairs. Opening the door to his bedroom, he could see Tamashī sitting on his bed, an innocent look on her face.

Valor smiled mischievously. "Don't act so innocent, Tamashī. I know what you were doing up here." She tensed up, and he closed and locked the door behind her. "You couldn't wait five minutes for me to finish eating?"

Tamashī instantly relaxed, then stood up walked over to him, and wrapped her arms around him. "I love you, Valor."

"I love you too, Tamashī." Leaning down a bit, he kissed her, enjoying the familiar feeling of her tongue sliding its way deeply into his mouth. He ran her hand down her back along her spine, causing her to arch her back slightly, pressing her hips against him. By this time her tail was flicking back and forth with delight and anticipation, and his pants were growing very tight. Without breaking off their kiss, she managed to pull his pants and underwear down past his knees, allowing him to kick them the rest of then way off.

A moment later she reluctantly pulled away, and then laid herself down on the bed, a come-hither look on her face. Pulling his shirt off he joined her on the bed, and started to kiss her once more. She rolled onto her back, pulling him over her in the process. She whimpered slightly as he began pushing his way into her, his length parting her lower lips. When he had pushed in almost as deeply as he could, he pulled most of the way out, then pushed his way back in, deeper than before. He repeated the cycle over and over again, each time eliciting a slight moan from her.

Though she was significantly larger than the average Lucario, she was still smaller than him. Because of this, he was at least trying to be gentle, not wanting to hurt her. She wasn't having it, though. Wrapping her paws around his waist, she started pushing him deeper into her and at a faster rate. Getting the message, he picked up the pace and started to push deeper, causing her to moan more frequently and with greater intensity.

They then wrapped each other in their Auras, casting a flickering, pulsing green light on the entire room. Extremely aware of how loud she was becoming, she did then only thing she could think of at the moment to quiet herself, and bit into her mate's shoulder. As opposed to crying out in pain, a gasp of pleasure escaped him, and if anything it only seemed to spur him on.

She could feel the pressure building within her, and a moment later her orgasm washed over her. As he continued thrusting, one became two, and two became three. Then, his body stiffened, releasing his fluids into her body.

He laid down next to her, breathing heavily. "So, the biting was a bit of a surprise."

Though the skin was unbroken, he had a very clear ring of bite marks was on his left shoulder. "I'm sorry. I didn't hurt you did I?"

Valor laughed. "No, but maybe the next time you do that you shouldn't bite quite so hard."

Tamashī gave a small laugh, then snuggled up against him, and nuzzled his neck. "I'll keep that in mind."

***  
On the last night of the Twinleaf Festival there were always plenty of three things: food, music, and alcohol, lots and lots of alcohol. The whole town was lit by torches, and the stars above were shining brightly. The center of town was buzzing with activity. A band was playing, and people everywhere were dancing to the music-most of them couples.

Valor and Tamashī sat together on a bench near the center of town, watching the goings on with some sadness, wishing they could actually act like a couple. Valor sighed, then looked around in confusion as he heard the sound of joyful whistling.

The source of the sound became apparent when Galen came into view a moment later, a contented smile on his face. He sat down next to Valor, his eyes shining with an emotion Valor couldn't identify. "So, what are my favourite forbidden lovers up to tonight?"

"Not-uh...not much." Valor scrutinized him for a moment, "Uh, Galen, are you-are you drunk?"

Galen laughed quietly. "No, I discovered years ago that the stuff people make around here is WAY too strong for me. I only had it once, and I literally can't remember anything from that night."

"So then why the weird behaviour-well weird for you anyway."

Galen sighed contentedly. "I just got a call...from my wife. She's uh...heh she's pregnant."

"Wow. That's...great. Congratulations."

"Thanks kid. Wish I had been there when she found out, but, can't do anything about that. I'll see her again soon enough." Galen gave another contented sigh.

Valor smiled. He was happy for his friend, but at the same time he felt a strange...emptiness in his heart, and, judging by the look on Tamashī's face, she was experiencing a similar feeling. Looking over at the two of them, Galen shook his head. "Snap out of it you two! Getting depressed won't get you anywhere."

They looked at him with surprise, and it was Tamashī who responded. "Galen, what do you..."

"It's obvious what's on both of your minds. Getting depressed will only serve to put strain on you relationship. That happens, and you'll have even less chance...of ever having pups. Just focus on what you can control, like your love for each other."

And suddenly, that empty feeling made sense. Then, Valor smiled. "You're right, Galen." He and Tamashī looked at each other, both smiling now. "I guess, neither of us...really realized...how much...we wanted...children of our own." Tamashī nodded in agreement, then, quickly making sure no one was watching, they shared a brief kiss.

Galen laughed. "Of course I'm right. So care to explain why you two aren't dancing together like every other couple in town?"

Valor was shocked. "You can't be serious. What do you think would happen if we did that? We would be persecuted, shunned, and ridiculed! And that's the BEST case scenario!"

"Damn, you're an idiot."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Valor asked, clearly offended.

"It means, open your eyes kid. Everyone in town already knows about you two."

Valor and Tamashī looked at him in shock, then Valor found his voice. "Wh-what?!" Tamashī echoed the question telepathically, and Galen sighed in exasperation.

"Let's look at the evidence, shall we? Five days ago you two returned from Lake Verity, supporting each other's weight, looking physically and emotionally exhausted. That's when the rumours started-and if the people of Twinleaf can do anything, it's spread rumours. Then, the very next day, you more or less confirmed those rumours with that little display of yours after your battle with Red."

Valor looked horrified, and Tamashī didn't look much better. "Oh dear Arceus, we're screwed! How could this happen? We are completely screwed!"

"Calm down kid! Where are we right now?"

"Twinleaf Town?" Valor answered, not understanding.

"That's right. Now, what that means, is that nothing bad is going to happen to you two. People from this town, well, we take care of each other. We keep each other's secrets, we protect and support each other-and we certainly won't sell out somebody who was born here, no matter what. As long as you're here, you don't have to hide who you are."

Valor smiled, suddenly feeling overjoyed. "If that's the case, then we'll see you later!" He stood up, grabbed Tamashī by the paw, and started off toward the center of town, leaving Galen behind.

"Valor, what are you doing?!" Tamashī asked, surprised by her mate's behaviour.

"I don't know about you, but I would say this is the perfect opportunity for us to have our first dance together."

Tamashī looked at him with a bemused smile. "But neither of us knows how to dance."

Slowing down as they started to mix with the other people in the center of town, he said, "That's not important. What matters is that we can finally do stuff like this without worrying about what will happen."

They were now surrounded by other couples, and the band seemed to have picked the perfect moment to play a slow song. Valor placed a hand on Tamashī's waist, another on her shoulder, and he pulled her close. Then, going on instinct more than anything else, they started to dance. As wonderful and romantic a moment as it was for them, perhaps the best part was the way people were reacting to them. Because they weren't reacting. Everyone around them was acting as though it was perfectly normal for a young man and his Lucario to behave in such a way. Tamashī laid her head against Valor's chest, a smile gracing her lips. "I guess, that just maybe, people can be accepting, huh?"

"Maybe, someday, we won't have to hide at all." He kissed the top of her head, and she nuzzled him in return.

They would stay like that the whole night, wishing for it to last forevermore, because they were happy. Happy, that there was at least one place, where they wouldn't have to hide their feelings for each other.

She stood in the shadows, the torchlight causing her waist length copper hair to shimmer every time she moved. Standing by her side was a Gardevoir. But her green eyes were focused on them. The boy and his Lucario. Both so happy, holding each other so close, and both so completely unaware of the vengeful eyes watching them.

She had been waiting years for this opportunity, though she had to admit she hadn't expected her chance for revenge to come in the form of a Lucario. She smiled, a sick, twisted smile. "Come on, Gardevoir. We have a little planning to do."

The Gardevoir hesitated for a moment, and then followed its trainer, the two of them disappearing into the night.

***  
"So, you really can't stay any longer?"

Valor shook his head. "No, we need to go. We've been here too long as it is."

It was early in the morning, and the sun was just starting to come up. Valor and Tamashī were standing out in front of the house, and his mother was standing in the front doorway. "Well then, promise me you'll be careful."

Valor gave a short laugh. "I'm a Pokémon Trainer. Dangerous situations are kind of an occupational hazard."

"No, I mean you TWO be careful."

"Oh, that. Don't worry, we'll be fine. After all, we've managed just fine for over a year now."

His mother sighed. "I know, but still, just be careful, okay? And Tamashī, try to keep my son out of trouble, will you?"

Valor rolled his eyes and Tamashī giggled. "I'll try, but he usually winds up protecting me."

His mother smiled sadly. "Alright then, as long as you two take care of each other. You two should get going then. Oh, and if you want to come for a visit, can you let me know a few days ahead of time?"

Valor looked at her curiously. "Sure, but why?"

"So I have time to get earplugs."

Realizing what she was saying, Valor's face turned bright red. "You uh...you heard that huh?"

His mother smirked. "Yes, I heard that. More specifically I heard HER."

Valor looked at Tamashī and wasn't surprised that his mate looked extremely embarrassed. "Well, on that note, we'll be leaving now. Come on Tamashī." He took her by the paw, and they walked away as quickly as they could without running.

"Bye honey!" The last thing they heard from her before they were out of earshot, was laughter.

Half an hour later they were at the edge of town. After a while they came to a split in the road marked by a sign that simply said "201." Leaning against the sign, Luxor by his side, was Galen. He was looking up toward the sky, a smile on his face.

"Uh...hey Galen. What are you doing?"

Galen looked down, noticing them for the first time. "Hey kid. Hello Tamashī. Just...remembering. I got my first pokémon right here, you know. A lot has changed since that day. But, I'm also here waiting for you. I've got something for you-two things actually: a message, and a gift."

Valor blinked in surprise. "Oh, okay. So, what's the message?"

"The message comes from the Guardian Elders. You are being temporarily re-assigned to Lilycove City-in Hoenn. The Guardian who was stationed there-a man by the name of Faerin-disappeared about two weeks ago. You are going to try to find out what happened to him, and, until a permanent replacement can be found, watch over that area in his place."

"So then, who's going to be stationed in Snowpoint? I'm-we're-kind of supposed to be there you know." Valor asked, a bit confused by all the information they were being given.

"Don't worry about that, Snowpoint is a quiet area, so it'll be fine for now. That brings me to the gift." Galen reached into his pocket, and pulled out an envelope. "This is from me. But, it comes with a condition: you can't open it until the next time you're IN Snowpoint, okay?"

"Okay, sure." Valor accepted the envelope, becoming more confused as the conversation went on.

"Good. Well, I'll see you two later then." They watched as he and Luxor walked away, and Valor found himself wondering if he would ever stop being confused by Galen.


	7. Chapter 5: The Dark Elements of Man

It had been a week. She had been following Valor and his Lucario for a week. For some strange reason those two had chosen to take a ship to Hoenn, so she had been unable to isolate them, and she had been forced to wait even longer for her chance at revenge. But now, now they were alone and vulnerable. They were walking along the road through a forest, and no one else was around. She and her Gardevoir were lying in wait, waiting for the right moment to strike...

Suddenly, there was the sound of a scream from a short was down the path.

Valor was trying to make sense of what was going on. He and Tamashī were in a forest, heading in the general direction of Lilycove City. They had been having a pleasant time of it too, until a Seviper had slithered across their path, at which point Tamashī had screamed.

Now the Seviper at them curiously and Tamashī was cowering behind him like a frightened child. "Tamashī, what are you doing?!"

"I don't like snakes!"

Valor looked at her in disbelief. "Snakes? Really? Since when?"

"Since ALWAYS!"

"But you're a Steel-type, you can't even be poisoned."

"I didn't say I was scared of being poisoned! Snakes just creep me out, okay?" Even in his mind he could hear the stress in her voice, let alone the small whimpering noises she was making.

The Seviper continued to watch them for a moment, then shook its head and slithered off into the underbrush.

Valor sighed. "It's gone Tamashī, you can come out now."

She stepped out from behind him, looking embarrassed. "Sorry about that; snakes just REALLY creep me out."

Valor gave her a loving smile. "It's okay. Everyone has those kinds of weird fears and dislikes. Now, what do you say we keep moving? If we're lucky we'll be in Fortree City by nightfall."

Tamashī nodded, and they started off down the path once more. "So, any particular reason behind this fear of snakes?"

"I told you already Valor, they just creep me out. I really don't want to talk about i-eeee!" She was cut off as they were lifted into the air by an unseen force. They simply floated there for a moment, then moved quickly through the air, each of them winding up pinned-by a still unseen force-to one of the trees lining the path.

"What the hell is going on?!" Valor struggled for a moment, then stopped as he realized that whatever was holding him was too strong to break free from.

"What's wrong Valor? Don't you like my Gardevoir's telekinetic abilities?" The question was followed by laughter. Stepping out of hiding on the other side of the path came the aforementioned Gardevoir and a red-headed young woman that Valor knew all too well.

"Aitana." As Valor said the name a dark smile spread across her face.

"Would you look at that. The little Poke-sexual remembers me. What an honour." The sarcasm in her voice was quite clear.

"Wh-what are you talking about?"

"Come on now Valor, don't play stupid just because you're good at it. I know all about you and your furry blue girlfriend over there. Although, I must admit I was somewhat surprised by that. Then again, it makes some sense. You never very good with human women."

Tamashī chose that moment to project her thoughts into all of their minds. "Valor, who IS this woman?"

Valor sighed. "She's my only ex-girlfriend, Aitana." Redirecting his attention to the woman before him he said, "And I would very much like to know what it is you're doing, Aitana."

There was irritation clearly showing on her face as she said, "You're lucky you're cute Valor, because you're not too bright. I came here for revenge."

Valor was confused. "Revenge? What are you talking about?"

"What am I talking about? Let me tell you a little story about a girl, and her first time falling in love..."

...She had always been told she was a pretty girl, even from a young age. And, even from a fairly young age, there were always boys who were interested in her. But there was only one who ever caught her interest. He was so cute, and so endearingly shy. She was smitten. Her friends teased her, saying she had fallen for a loser. But she didn't care, she loved him anyway. She spent years imagining what it would be like to be with him. Then, when they were 15, she mustered up the courage to tell him how she felt. He was a bit reluctant, but they started "dating", and she just chocked up his reluctance to shyness, or nervousness. But, as time wore on, she realized it couldn't just be shyness. They never kissed, or hugged, he even avoided holding her hand. It came to the point where she was almost throwing herself at him, but to no avail. She realized he simply wasn't attracted to her. She then chose to end their so-called relationship. She was heartbroken. She thought to herself 'What did I do wrong?" Then eventually she figured out she wasn't the problem. It was him. She swore she would get revenge for the heartbreak and embarrassment. She spent the next four years waiting, and now her moment has arrived...

Valor looked at her, dumbstruck. Coming to his senses, he spoke. "Really? That's what this is about?! That's ridiculous! I'm sorry I hurt you, but, as you pointed out, I'm not attracted to humans in general. It really wasn't my fault."

"Not your fault? You didn't even make an effort to be attracted to me!"

Valor shook his head. "Yes, I did. Look, I didn't understand myself why I wasn't attracted to you. I thought there was something wrong with me. But, that's in the past. I really am sorry."

Aitana scoffed. "Whatever. It doesn't change the fact that you hurt me. Now, I'm going to return the favour."

Valor gulped. "What do you mean?"

She had a sinister smile on her face as she said, "Simple. The easiest way to hurt a man, is through the one he loves."

"If you so much as lay a hand on her..."

"Oh, don't worry, it's not me you need to worry about. It's my Gardevoir you should be concerned with. After all, HE does get ever so sexually frustrated."

Valor felt as though someone had dropped a stone in the pit of his stomach, and he could see the fear on Tamashī's face.

"Your Gardevoir...is male?"

"That's right. And now you can just sit there and watch as he has some fun with your Lucario"

Her Gardevoir started moving toward Tamashī, prompting Valor to start struggling against his telekinetic bonds once more. "You stay away from her! Aitana, your problem is with me, leave Tamashī out of this!"

"I can't do that Valor."

"Please, do whatever you want to me, but leave her out of this."

Aitana's smile went from merely cruel, to totally sadistic. "Whatever I want, huh? So, in order to protect her, you would do something like, oh, I don't know...make love to me?"

Tamashī's voice rang out in his mind once more. "Don't do it Valor! I'll be fine!"

"If it means you will leave Tamashī alone, then fine."

Tamashī looked horrified. "Valor, you can't. You're my-"

"Mate. I know. But I've told you before, I'll protect you-no matter what. I promise you though, whatever happens, I won't enjoy it."

"How sweet, but I'm sure you'll change your mind before I'm through with you. Gardevoir, let him down, but keep his arms bound."

Valor dropped to the ground, but his arms were now being held behind his back by her Gardevoir's psychic power. "Good. Valor, Gardevoir, follow me. I'd rather not do this in the middle of the road. Oh, and leave 'Tamashī' where she is for now."

They then set off deeper into the forest. Aitana was in the lead, followed by Valor, with her Gardevoir bringing up the rear, leaving Tamashī behind, the look on her face a combination of fear and anger.

***  
A few minutes later they arrived in a small clearing. "Alright, this will do." Aitana turned to face him, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "So listen Valor, I've had a change of heart."

Valor raised one of his eyebrows, highlighting his scepticism. "Oh really? So, does that mean you're going to let me and Tamashī go and you're going to give up on this ridiculous quest for revenge?"

"No, I just decided that forcing you to have sex with me, simply isn't a humiliating punishment."

Valor sighed. "So what are you going to do then?"

"Like I said, forcing you to have sex with ME isn't a humiliating punishment. My Gardevoir on the other hand..."

Valor gulped. "Excuse me?"

"I'm going to let my Gardevoir take out his sexual frustrations...on you."

"You've got to be kidding me! You can't be serious!"

Aitana smirked. "I just figured it would be easier on you-after all, you did say you weren't attracted to humans. Besides, if you don't do as I say, I'll just have Gardevoir turn your 'mate's' mind into a blank slate-no more memories. Understand?"

Valor's entire body was shaking with anger. "You-manipulative-bitch. Fine-let's just get this over with."

"Good, that's the spirit. Have fun, Gardevoir." She walked over to the edge of the clearing, and sat down, leaning back against a tree.

Valor slowly turned to face her Gardevoir, and noticed with sick fascination that his eyes were red, like Tamashī's. But unlike Tamashī's eyes there was no love, no sparkling beauty-only lust.

Valor was shaking again, but this time in fear. Suddenly his entire body seized up, and he knew he no longer had any control over the situation. As if of their own free will, his clothes came off his body. His body was then contorted by psychic power, bending him over, binding his arms behind his back. He then felt Gardevoir's hips pressed against him, as well as the pokemon's hardened length. A male voice rang out in his mind, saying, "Don't worry human, I'm not going to hurt you." With that, in a single thrust, Gardevoir buried himself fully in Valor's virgin asshole.

Gardevoir was surprised by how tight it was. Though he preferred females, he had been with a few male pokémon in the past. But this human felt...different. He looked over to his trainer, not surprised that her hand had disappeared down into her jeans. She nodded, indicating for him to continue. Gardevoir took a deep breath, and started thrusting against Valor, trying to drive himself in deeper. Despite the strangeness of the situation, Gardevoir found himself enjoying it.

Valor on the other hand, was in shock, trying to cling to his sanity. His mind was rebelling against what was happening, telling him to fight back, but Gardevoir's psychic power was holding him too tightly. Each thrust of Gardevoir's hips jarred his entire body, pushing his mind to the brink. In spite of his mind hating the situation, his own manhood had become erect, showing that his body at least was deriving some kind of perverse pleasure from it. He then felt Gardevoir's slim arm reach around his body, inhuman fingers stroking his length.

He felt his balls contract a moment later, covering the ground with the sticky white liquid. Gardevoir continued for another moment, but the friction was too much for him, and he released his own seed into Valor's bowels. He pulled out, releasing his control over Valor's body. Surprised by the sudden return of control, Valor fell to the ground, his whole body quivering slightly.

Aitana stood, stretching her arms over her head. "Well, I wish that had lasted longer, but can't do anything about that. Come on Gardevoir. Oh, and release his Lucario as well." With Gardevoir back by her side, they made to leave the clearing, when a blast of energy smashed into the tree next to her. She turned, and was surprised to see Valor, still on the ground, a look of rage on his face, his outstretched hand glowing with green light.

As he spoke his breathing was rapid and shallow. "Aitana, if-if you ever...come near me, Tamashī or...anyone I care about...ever again...the next blast directed at you...will not miss."

She kept her expression neutral, but on the inside she was scared out of her mind, scared by the ferocity being exhibited by a man she thought had none to speak of. "I'll keep that...in mind." She turned and walked away, wanting to get as far away from him as she could. She then found herself wondering what had brought about such a change in the timid, shy boy she had once fallen in love with.

Valor laid back against the ground, exhausted by everything that had transpired.

***  
Tamashī dropped to the ground, landing on all fours. The power holding her up had dissipated, and she was out for blood. She quickly found her mate's Aura, and raced off toward him. A few minutes later she found him, undressed and lying in the middle of a clearing.

She ran over to him and knelt by his side. His eyes were closed. "Valor!"

His eyes opened, and he smiled up at her. "Hey Tamashī." He pushed himself up into a sitting position. "Guess I've looked better, huh? But, I suppose that's what happens when your psychotic ex lets her Gardevoir take advantage of you."

Tamashī's face went from concerned to enraged instantly. "What?! Where are they?! I'll destroy them both!"

Valor placed his hand on her shoulder. "Calm down, and don't worry about it. I took care of it; we won't see them again." Valor's vision shifted as something struck him across the face. Refocusing he realized that it had been one of Tamashī's paws that had hit him. "What was that for?"

"You idiot! What were you thinking?! I told you I would be fine! Why did you do it?"

"Because, I didn't want to see this happen to you. I wasn't going to stand by and watch as that Gardevoir did to you what he wound up doing to me anyway. I did it to protect you-I would do anything to protect you." Valor flinched in surprise as she hugged him tightly. He then wrapped his arms around her, finding comfort in the familiar feeling of her fur. "I love you, Tamashī."

"I love you too...you idiot."

***  
Later that night they arrived in Fortree City. After spending a handful of quiet days recovering in the heavily forested city, they set out on the road once more.

Valor sighed. "It is nice to be able to walk properly again." Tamashī giggled, causing him to scowl. "It's not funny!"

Tamashī's expression became one of guilt. "I-I know. I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean-please don't be angry."

His expression softened. "It's...okay. It's just...a sensitive subject. I shouldn't take it out on you though-it wasn't your fault. I'm sorry, I should never-could never- be angry with you-not really."

She slipped her paw into his hand, and gave him a loving smile. "It's okay. I know...this can't be easy on you. But, even if I don't really understand it, I'm always here to help and comfort you."

Valor sighed contentedly. "Thanks. So, I guess, we should get going."

Tamashī nodded, and they set off down the road to Lilycove once again.

"So, you really don't know where he is?"

"Sorry. I wish I could be more help, but I really don't know anything."

Valor sighed, frustrated with what was becoming an all too familiar pattern of conversation. "Alright, thanks anyway."

Valor felt a bit disheartened as the man he had been questioning walked away. Ever since they had arrived in Lilycove City they had been asking around, seeing if anyone knew what had become of Faerin, the Guardian they had come to find. "Dammit. I knew this wouldn't be easy, but this is ridiculous. We don't have anything to go on!"

Tamashī smiled, and gently placed a paw on his shoulder. "Stay calm sweetheart. We won't accomplish anything if we let our emotions get the better of us."

Valor gave a wry smile. "Right Tamashī, cause you never let your emotions control you."

"That's exactly right."

He laughed at her mock-narcissism. "Come on, we could use a break-and food for that matter."

"Agreed." With that they set off through town, headed in the general direction of the Pokémon Center.

"So, I was right. They finally sent a new Guardian." He had spent the last few days observing them. Their actions...amused him. "Well then, if they really want to know what happened to Faerin, than perhaps I shall show them. One way or another, this should be...fun."

***

"Here."

Tamashī blinked, surprised by the half-bar of chocolate being offered to her. They had just finished eating lunch, and were now sitting on a bench outside the Lilycove Pokémon Center. She took the chocolate, then looked at her mate with suspicion. "What's the occasion?"

He looked at her curiously. "What are you talking about?"

"I mean, normally I have to seduce and/or maul you in order to get you to share these kinds of things with me."

"I just figured I should try to be a bit nicer to you."

"You're ALWAYS nice to me, Valor."

"Even so, I've been kind of...on edge lately. I just thought I would try to make it up to you, at least a little bit."

"That's sweet and all, but you don't have to make up anything to me. Of course, if you really want to make it up to me, then maybe you'll let me maul you later anyway." She winked at him, then started eating the candy.

Valor blushed. "Do you have to make jokes like that?"

"Would you want me any other way?"

He laughed. "No, I don't believe I would-"

"Um, excuse me."

They looked up, and were surprised to see a woman standing before them. She was quite attractive by human standards. She had strawberry-blonde hair and hazel eyes; she couldn't have been more than twenty-five years old. "Yes, how can I help you?"

She looked very nervous, but spoke anyway. "I'm...Holly. You-you're the one who has been looking for Faerin, right?"

"Uh...yeah. Why? Do you know something?"

"Well, I don't know where he is, but he and I were...rather close. We spent a lot of time together-although I always felt like his Lucario didn't like me. Anyway, like I said, I don't know where he went, but before he disappeared, he started acting kind of...strange."

Valor nodded. "Strange how, exactly?"

"He was always so confident, and seemed so carefree, but before he went missing he started acting worried and paranoid. He was always looking over his shoulder, as though he was afraid of something."

"Where was the last place you saw him?"

"At the little lighthouse overlooking the cliffs in the southeaster part of town. We spent a lot of time there together."

Valor stood up and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Thank you, Holly. You've been a lot of help. I'm sure we'll find him."

She smiled, but seemed to be on the verge of tears. "Thank you, um...I'm sorry, I don't even know your name."

"Valor."

"Thank you, Valor. Please let me know if you find...anything."

"We will." She then walked away, and Valor turned back to Tamashī. "We should go check out that lighthouse. We might find a clue there."

Tamashī nodded in agreement, and together they set off toward the southern part of Lilycove City.

***  
The wind was sweeping across the top of the cliffs, and dark clouds had gathered in the sky above. Before them was a lighthouse made of white stone. As Holly had said it was small, no more than three stories in height. Tamashī looked at it with curiosity. "So, what is it you think we'll find here?"

Valor shook his head. "I don't know. But, Holly said she and Faerin spent a lot of time here. Maybe there's some kind of clue or...something."

I suppose it's possible, but it just doesn't seem very like-" She suddenly tensed up, then without warning tackled him to the ground.

He was about to ask her for an explanation, when he got one in the form of a bolt of pure black energy passing through where he had just been standing. The energy smashed into the lighthouse, leaving what appeared to be a smoking scorch mark on the white stone.

They quickly got back up, looking for the source of the attack. It didn't take them long to find it. Walking toward them was a man with blond hair, a malicious grin, and a nimbus of black energy surrounding his body. He would have been handsome were it not for the evil, soulless pits that were his eyes.

By his side was a Lucario, but not one like they had ever seen before. The black sections of its fur were normal, but the rest of its fur was devoid of colouration. The only colour on its body was a red scarf tied around its neck.

"So little Guardian, how do you like my power?" The man's voice was equal parts mocking and cruel. "That's the kind of power you could have, if you learn to make use of the darkness that lurks within all men's' hearts."

Valor was unsure of how to respond, so he decided to stall. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"I am what remains. I am the incarnation of the eternal truth: darkness always wins. And I want to spread that truth. For you see, darkness is patient, and light is but a temporary state. Light can unravel all of darkness's best laid plans, but in the end, when all the stars have burned out at the end of the universe, darkness will remain, triumphant in its survival. Darkness will always survive, for its power is greater than any other."

Valor was glaring at him now, not liking what he was hearing. "So mister 'incarnation', do you have an actual name?"

The man laughed, a cold, manic, high-pitched laugh. Then, he spoke. "Is it not clear, little Guardian? You have spent days searching, and here I am. I, am Faerin."

Valor stared in shock. "You? You're Faerin? But, I was told Faerin had gone missing."

The man claiming to be Faerin shrugged. "Perhaps in the short sighted view of the Guardians, but, the way I see it, I have merely become more than I once was."

"Why do you speak of the Guardians as though you aren't one?"

"Because, I've embraced the power of darkness. I have become the opposite of a Guardian. Whereas you draw your power from your own emotions, myself, and others like me, draw our power from the darkness that haunts men's' souls."

"What about your Lucario? Is his colouration a result of darkness as well?"

"Yes, he has given himself to the darkness, as I have."

Tamashī chose that moment to chime in. "That's impossible! No Lucario would follow such a power, or a master who is so foolish as to use that power!"

The grey scale Lucario's voice rang out in their minds, and Valor couldn't help but notice it had a strangely musical quality. "Believe what you see, for like my master, I have seen the power darkness brings."

Tamashī was fuming, but Valor had one last question to ask. "What about Holly? How does she fit into this?"

Faerin scoffed. "That love struck fool? Don't worry, she and I aren't in league with each other. That pathetic girl just happened to give me a way to isolate you. She had no idea of the situation she was throwing you into. But that brings me to my question for you. Will you join me? Will you embrace the darkness?"

Valor was shaking with anger. "No, I will not. It's clear darkness has destroyed whoever you used to be. You and Holly cared for each other, but now you insult her because of that! Well you know what, I think you're wrong about how powerful darkness is. I think that love is far more powerful. Love is what lights the darkness and keeps the darkness within from corrupting us. Love can ignite the stars themselves, and THAT is the truth."

Faerin laughed again. "It seems my message has fallen on the deaf ears of an insipid fool. I shall enjoy destroying you, and showing you how wrong you are."

Valor shifted his body into a fighting stance, and he could see that Tamashī had done the same. "You can try Faerin, but you will not succeed."

***  
"Valor, let me deal with his Lucario. I want to beat some sense into him." To her surprise her mate didn't argue, he simply nodded. They all stood there for a moment, all braced for a fight. Then, the attack came. Faerin charged toward Valor, forcing the younger man to rapidly move backward so as not to be hit. The Lucarios though, hadn't moved. "Why have you allowed yourself to become corrupted?"

He eyed her for a moment, then scoffed. "Why would I waste my breath? You wouldn't understand, so I won't explain it."

"Try me."

"It would just be a waste of my time. Besides, you won't be alive long enough to use the information." He ended the conversation by lashing out with a Dark Pulse.

Tamashī dodged the attack, and retaliated with an Aura Sphere. This is not going to be pleasant, she thought.

Valor had an Aura shield in front of him, blocking blast after blast of dark energy. Their fight had moved around behind the lighthouse, blocking the Lucarios from sight, but Valor could sense that they too had started fighting.

He had never been in an actual Aura-based fight before, so he was unsure of how to proceed. Faerin's high-pitched laugh rang out once more. "What's wrong, little Guardian? Afraid that you can't match my power? It's not much of a fight if you spend the whole time defending."

Much as he hated to admit it, Valor knew Faerin was right. He waited for just the right moment, then dropped his shield, rolled to avoid an attack, and shot a blast of Aura at his attacker. Faerin blocked the blast, and Valor used that instant to get back to his feet. They started to circle one another, not taking their eyes off each other.

Valor now had his back facing the lighthouse, and Faerin's back was facing toward the cliffs. They both chose that moment to attack. Valor just managed to dodge the attack, but Faerin was not so lucky. The bolt of green Aura smashed into his left shoulder, and there was the sound of bone shattering.

Faerin's left arm was now hanging limp at his side. "So little Guardian, you do have some fight in you after all. Good, that means this won't be boring, at least." He smiled sadistically, then raised his right hand, which started to crackle with a halo of what seemed black electricity.

Suddenly a massive blast of that electricity shot toward Valor, who avoided it with only inches to spare. Even then, he could feel heat radiating from the blast. Valor was frightened now. If an attack like that connected, he knew his chances of survival wouldn't be very high. Faerin smiled. "That's right, become afraid, little Guardian. Your fear will only make me stronger."

A thought then clicked in Valor's mind. Faerin had said that he drew his power from the "dark" emotions in other people. If fear was one of those emotions...

It's time to cut him off at the source, Valor concluded. He calmed his mind, and focused on what he knew to be his most powerful emotion: his love for Tamashī. His entire body started to glow with his Aura, casting an emerald green light on the ground around him. He started to walk toward Faerin, who know looked scared himself. Faerin lashed out with a shot of black Aura, but Valor blocked it easily, continuing to move toward him.

Faerin started to back away, truly frightened by the power Valor was displaying. "What the hell are you?!"

"I am a man with something worth fighting for."

Tamashī jumped back, staying just ahead of the male Lucario's Force Palm. He growled at her. "You try to tell me what a Lucario would and wouldn't do, and yet here you are running away like a coward!"

Tamashī growled back. "There is a difference between running away, and keeping one's self out of harm's way!" She fired a Flash Cannon, which the other Lucario, as opposed to dodging, simply blocked.

They were both panting, exhausted from their fight. Then, without any clear reason, Faerin's Lucario dropped to his knees, holding his head, howling in what seemed to be pain.

***  
Faerin was on his knees, holding his head in his one good hand. He was breathing heavily, and his face carried a pained expression. Valor was watching carefully, not sure if this was some kind of trick, or if something was truly wrong.

Faerin's whole body was shaking, and his eyes were wide with fear. "I...I don't...want this...anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"I-arrgh-I don't want...this power...this darkness...anymore. He...he told me...I wouldn't be afraid...anymore, but this power...scares me. It scares me...to think...of what I might do...with this power."

"Who told you Faerin?"

He ignored the question. "Please, please help me. Please help me rid myself of this power."

Valor shook his head. "I-I wouldn't know how. There's nothing I can do. I'm sorry."

Faerin struggled to his feet, a sad smile on his face. He then started backing up toward the cliff face. "Fine. That's fine. I understand. I wouldn't-I don't-know what to do myself. But, I can...at least end this, on my own terms."

Valor was concerned, not liking what he was hearing. "Faerin, what are you doing?"

"Listen, I'd like you to do something for me, even though I don't deserve your help. Please, tell Holly, that I cared about her a great deal. And tell my Lucario, that I'm sorry I dragged him into this mess. Also, I'm sorry to have put you through this as well. Now, I'm end this, while I'm still in control."

"Faerin wait!"

Before Valor could stop him, Faerin fired a blast of energy at the ground beneath him. The energy wasn't black though, it was bright yellow in colour. The ground collapsed, sending Faerin plummeting over the edge and down to the crashing waves below. Valor ran over to the edge of the cliff, and looked down, but there was no sign of the fallen Guardian. Valor stepped back, wishing he had been able to prevent this. "Now at least you're free of the darkness that consumed you, Faerin."

Suddenly he heard Tamashī's voice in his mind. "Valor, come here. You need to see this."

He turned and quickly ran to where he and Faerin had left the Lucarios. When he got there he was surprised to see Tamashī kneeling beside Faerin's Lucario, who was unconscious on the ground. Even more surprising was that his fur had returned to its normal colour scheme. "Tamashī, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"What about him?" He gestured to the other Lucario.

"He's alright, just asleep."

The Lucario's eyes fluttered for a moment, then opened. He pushed himself into a sitting position, and Valor knelt beside him. "Try not to move too much. How are you feeling?"

The Lucario looked at him for a moment, then spoke. "Where is Faerin?"

"Uh, he's uh...he's gone. He sacrificed himself to stop that dark power from spreading."

The Lucario looked simply devastated. Valor didn't want to be insensitive, but there were questions he had to ask. "I know this is hard for you, and you don't have to if you don't want to, but I'd like you to answer some questions for me, if you can."

The Lucario nodded.

"Faerin said that somebody had told him, that those powers would take away his fears. Do you know who that was?"

"No. I don't know who he was. But if I ever see him again..."

"I understand, I know the feeling. I only have one other question. Tamashī said no Lucario would allow itself to become corrupted, so why did you?"

"It is simple. I would have followed Faerin, and stayed by his side no matter what, because I loved him."

This caught Valor off guard. "You mean you-"

"Yes. I wanted to be his mate. Do you have a problem with that?"

Valor shook his head. "No. Besides, neither I nor Tamashī has any right to judge someone based on who they love."

He looked at them both. "What do you mean?"

Tamashī answered. "Valor and I have been together as mates for over a year."

This time it was the Lucario's turn to be caught off guard. "I see. Then you understand how I feel about this...situation."

"I know I would be devastated if I lost Tamashī." She nodded in agreement with him. "Also, Faerin asked me to tell you that that he was sorry about dragging you into this."

The Lucario stood up, smiling now. "He always was concerned with my feelings. Thank you, Valor."

"What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know. I'm essentially a wild pokémon now, so I guess I can go wherever I want. I think Faerin would have wanted me to stay strong and keep moving forward, so, as much as I'll miss him, that's what I'm going to do. Perhaps we will meet again someday, but until then, I'll say goodbye."

"Good luck, wherever you go." Tamashī echoed the sentiment, and they went their separate ways. Faerin's Lucario contemplated his lost love as he went, and Valor and Tamashī both wondered how they would fare in the same position.


	8. Interlude II: Whispers in the Dark

As per tradition, the chamber was pitch black, forcing anyone who entered the room to see by sensing Aura. In the center of the room was a stone table. Seated around the table were five people, each with a different colour of Aura. They were five of the six members of the Elder Council of the Guardians. The entrance to the chamber opened, and in came the sixth member, a man with a yellow Aura. One of the others, a man with a red Aura, responded to the arrival. "Nice of you to join us, Tahnokk. Care to explain your lateness?"

"My apologies, Mathias, but I do have a reason." He took his seat at the stone table. "I have just learned that the dark presence in the Hoenn region has been dealt with."

Several sighs of relief were heard, echoing off the stone walls. Then, the woman with a bright green Aura spoke. "That's good to hear. It would seem that we sent the right Guardian after all."

Mathias nodded. "Indeed."

"Yes, and now I believe it is time to return our attention to the perversion that has unfortunately struck at the Guardians once again."

"You refer to the discovery that an, as yet unidentified, Guardian has formed a forbidden relationship with their Lucario, yes?"

"Exactly. So, does anyone have any leads as to who is involved?" Tahnokk asked.

The Councillor with a blue Aura scoffed. "You are kidding, right? When this happened twelve years ago it took months to find them, and even then it was just blind luck."

The man with purple Aura then voiced his thoughts. "What worries me is that the amount of time between these perversions is growing shorter. The last one was only twelve years ago. The one before that was twenty seven years ago. They are becoming more frequent."

The woman with a pink Aura responded to this by saying, "Yes, and with this increase of frequency, I can't help but wonder if the foretold time will soon be upon us."

"What are you referring to, Angela?" The woman with green Aura asked.

"I am referring, Sarina, to the time foretold by the first Guardian."

Mathias then spoke. "The first Guardian, he who saw the truth in all things. He, who in his dying moments, saw the future."

"How did it go again? Something about love and anger...and darkness."

Everyone was silent as Mathias began to recite the ancient words. "In a time when love and love's meaning have been corrupted by man's foolishness, a champion will rise. Fuelled by love and righteous fury, and assisted by a man who is pure of heart and just in nature, the champion will wage his battle against fear, and the darkness itself. Should fury and love prevail, then rage shall be quelled by love's power, and a new era for love will begin in the light. However, if they should fail, then darkness will be unleashed upon the world, and the lights of the universe itself shall be extinguished." He finished speaking, and the chamber was silent. The silence went unbroken for several minutes, then was ended by Mathias. "I believe we should adjourn for the night."

When no one argued, they all stood and began to leave.

Angela and Sarina quickly caught up with Mathias, who had been the first to leave the room. Though his Aura was still strong, his body was showing the signs of his five plus decades of life. As they caught up with him, Sarina spoke. "Mathias, Angela and I have been thinking, that we shouldn't be hunting people-or pokémon-based on whom they love. And I don't think you want to either."

He stopped. "No, I don't. But we must follow the laws of the Guardians, that's all there is to it. Some things will simply never change." He then walked away, ending the conversation.


	9. Chapter 6: A Heated Contest

She had her arms wrapped around Valor's torso, and was sobbing into his shoulder. It hadn't taken him and Tamashī long to learn that Holly worked at the Cove Lily Hotel, and, after actually finding her, Valor had told her what had become of Faerin.

Now he was rather uncomfortable, not knowing how to deal with the sobbing woman clinging to him. It also didn't help that Tamashī was now starring daggers at them. He gestured to Holly and mouthed 'It's not my fault', but she continued with that same icy stare.

A few minutes later Holly pulled herself off him, wiping tears from her eyes. "I-I'm s-sorry. Th-this is j-just..."

Valor gently placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "It's alright, I understand. This can't be easy."

She shook her head. "D-do you know, h-how he...how he..."

Valor nodded solemnly. "I do. He...sacrificed his life, to stop the spread of an evil power that could have hurt a lot of people. Also, he left behind...a message...for you. He wanted you to know that he cared about you very much."

Holly now had a sad smile on her face. "Th-thank you, Valor. I guess it's k-kind of nice, knowing he was thinking of me, even in the end. I s-still wish he were here though." She wiped her eyes again, then said, "Um, listen, it's not much, but, if you want, I could pull some strings, and get you a room here in the hotel-as a way of saying thank you."

"That's really not necess-"

"I insist." She then walked away, leaving Valor scratching his head in confusion.

Valor turned back to Tamashī. "Well that was-okay, what's wrong? "He was perplexed, as she was still glaring at him.

She crossed her arms. "Do you want to breed with her?"

Valor was surprised by the telepathic query. "With Holly? You must be joking. What would make you think that?"

"Well, you are being awfully nice to her..."

"Of course I am. Somebody she cared a great deal about has died. Why shouldn't I be nice to her? Besides, she's not my type. I prefer a female with soft blue fur, and sparkling red eyes."

Tamashī looked away in embarrassment. "Sorry, I should know better than to doubt you."

"It's fine. I would probably feel the same if you were being particularly nice to some male Luc-"

"Valor?"

He turned around to see Holly standing there, a key in her hand. "Here, this is for you," she said, offering the key, "The number on the key matches your room number."

"Uh, thanks." He accepted the key, surprised by the old-fashioned item, as most hotels used electronic locks.

"No, thank you, for...well, everything. Oh, and, do enjoy you stay." She walked away again, wondering if he had really just been having a conversation with his Lucario.

"Well, it's better than a Pokémon Center, I suppose." Tamashī nodded in agreement, and they set out to find their room.

It turned out to be an admittedly small room with a single bed. Taking note of this Tamashī said, "How inconsiderate; it's almost like they WANT us to sleep together."

Valor shook his head, laughing. He set his bag down and dropped onto the bed, exhausted. "I certainly never thought that becoming a Guardian would lead to a day like today. Hopefully the next few days will be a bit quieter.

"I wouldn't count on it!" Valor suddenly found himself pinned to the bed, with Tamashī's tongue halfway down his throat.

She pulled away a moment later, leaving him pinned and gasping for breath. "After everything that has happened today, how can you be in any kind of mood for this?"

"Valor, it's been over a week, and I...well, I'm...uh..."

Realization dawned on him, causing him to smirk. "I get it. I didn't realize three months had already passed." Early on in their relationship she had explained to him that, while pokémon are capable of conception at any time, many species went through a cycle during which their ability to conceive increased, and for Lucarios that cycle lasted for a few days every three months or so. It also had the added effect of making her sexual desire increase as well. "So, when did this one start?"

"Yesterday."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Well, I figured...after that Gardevoir..."

Valor shook his head. "Tamashī, I would never let something like that come between us; I love you too much."

"I love you too." She then giggled and in his mind he heard her say, "Judging by what's pressing against my leg, I would guess you're not too tired for this."

He blushed. "No, but I would prefer not to be pinned down the entire time."

"We shall see." She winked at him and set to work pulling off his pants and underwear, giving him the time to do the same with his shirt. There were times when he kind of envied that she didn't have to bother with clothing.

His erect length was now exposed to the open-air of the room. Seeing that there were already beads of pre forming on the tip, Tamashī smiled to herself, realizing that he must be as pent up as she was.

She proceeded to run her tongue along his manhood, and was pleased to hear him release a gasp of pleasure. She licked the pre off his tip and slipped the whole thing into her mouth, her tongue guiding it in. Valor was experiencing a feeling similar to his first time with Tamashī, and he knew he wasn't going to last much longer. As she wrapped her tongue around him he felt his balls tighten, releasing his cream into her mouth. She allowed it to stay in her mouth for a moment, so as to enjoy the somewhat salty taste, then swallowed, enjoying the feeling of her mate's seed flowing down her throat.

She then moved up to the top of the bed, and positioned herself so that she was more or less straddling her mate's chest. "Now, my love, it's your turn."

"What?"

She sighed, wishing he were faster on the uptake at times. "I've used my tongue on you plenty of times, and now I would like YOU to return the favour."

Valor gulped. "Oh. Alright then, I guess I can give it a shot." With some trepidation he leaned his head forward a bit, and, for the first time, ran his tongue along her entrance.

The thing he noticed immediately was the somewhat sweet taste of the juices already flowing from her mound. She started moaning then, quietly at first. As he continued she increased in volume, leaving Valor to hope that the walls of their room weren't too thin. Acting on instinct he started teasing at her clit with his tongue, sending her into her first orgasm.

They both wound up gasping for breath, Tamashī due to pleasure, and Valor due to the unexpected amount of liquid that had entered his mouth.

"Are...are you alright?" She asked, worried he might not be able to breath. He nodded, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm fine. I just wasn't expecting that much to come out. There's usually something keeping all that in."

"Speaking of which..." She moved back down the bed, positioned herself over his still erect member, and pushed it through her lower lips, enjoying the familiar feeling of him sliding into her. She laid herself down on his body, and started grinding her hips against his, each motion taking him in and out of her passageway.

Pleasure only increased for both of them as they let their Auras mix together, enjoying that most intimate of sensations that could only be experienced by those in control of their life energies.

As he enjoyed the feeling of her fur brushing against his skin, Valor suddenly felt something else, something he was surprised to find he had been hoping for, as Tamashī gently but persistently started biting into his left shoulder once again. This pushed him over the edge, sending him into a second orgasm. He could feel her inner muscles tightening and contracting, milking him for everything he had to give.

She then went into an orgasm of her own, biting a bit harder as she struggled not to cry out in pleasure.

After the moment passed she released her hold on him, and, without dismounting, snuggled up against him, her eyelids already growing heavy.

"I guess we both needed that, didn't we?" She nodded drowsily in agreement.

A few moments later he looked down at his mate, and was surprised to find she had already fallen asleep on top of him. He smiled to himself and whispered, "Sweet dreams, Tamashī," before he too allowed himself to drift off to sleep.

***  
The morning sun was coming in through a gap in the curtains, casting a single bar of light upon the room. Valor's eyes opened, and he couldn't help but smile at the sight that greeted him. Tamashī was still on top of him, still fast asleep.

As he looked upon her he couldn't help but wonder why she had chosen him. He knew why he loved her, but she had never given her reasons for wanting to be with him.

As he lay there, lightly stroking her fur, he decided that it didn't matter. Even if she hasn't told me what they are, he thought, she must have reasons, and that's good enough for me.

Responding to his touch, her eyes opened, and she yawned. "Good morning, Valor."

"Good morning. Looks like you slept well."

She nodded. "I did. Maybe we should sleep like this more often."

"Maybe. But, right now, I'd like to go take a shower."

"Sure, a shower sounds like fun," she said, stretching her arms out over her head.

"Uh...I meant..." He sighed, then smiled. "I'm not going to be able to talk my way out of this, am I?"

"No, but why would you want to? Not that it matters. You couldn't say no to me if you tried."

Valor raised one eyebrow, a bemused smile on his face. "Is that so? This coming from the Lucario with a sex drive that could rival a Lopunny's?"

"Lopunnies are perpetually horny sluts. I just have a healthy libido. And, for the record Valor, you've never turned me down before. I have no reason to believe you would."

"Alright, you proved your point. Can I get up now?"

"Oh, I suppose." She gave him a quick kiss, then got off him, his limp length sliding out from between her legs. She then climbed out of bed and said, "I'll see you in there." She winked at him, then walked to the bathroom, her tail flicking suggestively as she went.

He sat up, shaking his head and laughing at her behaviour. He then got up and stretched before following after Tamashī.

The shower was essentially a cubicle with a flat floor and a sliding glass door separating it from the rest of the bathroom. After relieving himself he joined Tamashī in the shower, at which point she pressed her body against his, and started kissing him under the running water.

She ran her paw along his body, then started stroking his manhood, causing it to swell and harden at her touch. After teasing him for a minute or two she stepped back, and said, "If you don't mind, I'd like you to use your tongue first."

"Alright, as long as I don't drown this time."

"No promises."

He chuckled and knelt down, then started sliding his tongue along her slit. She leaned back against the wall of the shower, each stroke of his tongue sending a slight shudder of pleasure through her body. As her head rolled back and she started whimpering slightly, he decided to push his luck by pushing his tongue into her, gently parting her lower lips. Her breathing grew rapid and shallow, and Valor found himself deriving pleasure from her reactions, and from the honey already flowing over his taste buds.

Tamashī went into her first actual orgasm a minute later, prompting Valor to back away in order to avoid a repeat of the previous night. He stood up and wrapped his arms around her waist, then took her in a deep kiss, their tongues wrestling back and forth between their mouths. Surprised that her mate seemed to be taking more control of the situation, she pulled back, and eyed him for a moment, then a question rang out in his mind. "What's gotten into you?"

A devilish grin appeared on his face as he said, "I think the better question is: what's about to get into YOU." Her eyes went wide with surprise as he pinned her to the wall by her shoulders and he took her in another kiss, before starting to push his erect member into her passageway. She immediately started moaning into the kiss, and it only intensified as he started thrusting into her, each cycle of movement bringing a fresh wave of pleasure for them both. A moment later she experienced a second orgasm, the rhythmic contraction of her inner muscles pulling his manhood deeper into her.

As she started milking him he could feel pressure building, and, as the sensation became too much for him, he felt his balls contract, coating her walls with his fertile seed. As Valor's body relaxed he lost his balance, and slipped, falling to the floor of the shower, taking Tamashī with him. He hit the ground hard and she landed heavily on top of him, pushing her farther down his length. Looking up at her, Valor realized she had a strange look on her face. "Tamashī, are you alright?"

"Valor, I think, that you, just pushed through my cervix."

As if to confirm what she said, he could feel something closing around him just beneath his tip. "Jeez, are you alright?"

She laid herself down on him, a contented smile on her face. "I'm perfectly fine."

After a few minutes of cuddling under the running water, Tamashī attempted to get up, but couldn't, as though something was pulling her down. A strange smile played across her face. "Valor, I think...we're stuck together."

Valor burst out laughing. "Yeah, that sounds like our luck alright. Well, we're just gonna have to wait until I...soften up a bit. Oh well, there are worse things that could happen."

Tamashī nodded, then snuggled back up against him. A moment later, they heard a knock at the hotel room door.

_A few minutes earlier... _

Holly walked through one of the hallways of the Cove Lily Hotel, heading toward Valor's room.

First there had been that conversation she overheard him having with his Lucario. Now other hotel guests had complained that the night before there had been strange, animalistic noises coming from his room. She wanted answers.

To her at least, Valor didn't seem like the kind of person who would do such a thing with a pokémon, but, if only to put her mind at ease, she had to know.

Arriving at the door to Valor's room, she knocked. After testing the doorknob and finding it unlocked, she quietly stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. "Valor, are you here? It's Holly. I need to talk to you."

There was no response, but the bathroom door was slightly ajar, and she could hear running water. Then, a response came. "Uh, Holly, this...isn't a good time. I'm in the shower."

"I know, but this can't wait. Put on a towel or something, I'm coming in. You've got thirty seconds."

"I'm pretty sure it can wait!"

"It can't. Twenty five."

"Holly, seriously, don't come in!"

"Twenty."

"Do yourself a favour, and don't open that door!"

"Fifteen."

"I mean it! Don't-come-in-here!"

"Ten, nine, eight..." She continued counting until she reached zero, at which point she fully opened the door and walked into the bathroom. She immediately wished she hadn't.

Valor was sitting on the floor of the shower with his Lucario straddling his hips. She was growling, and he had a look of defeated exasperation on his face. "I...told you...NOT to open the door."

Valor gulped. This was like one of his worst nightmares come to life. "Alright, Holly, don't freak out. And Tamashī, stop growling. It's not helping."

Holly started backing toward the door. "I...uh...I seem to have interrupted something. So, uh...I'm, just going to...go make a...a phone call."

Valor's eyes went wide with shock and desperation. "Holly, you can't tell anybody about this!"

"Why not?! This is wrong, not to mention illegal!"

"First off, it's not 'wrong' to be with the one you love, regardless of species. Second, and, more importantly, if people found out about this it would wind up costing Tamashī's life!"

Holly looked back and forth between the pleading expressions on their faces. "What do you mean it would cost her life?"

Valor sighed sadly. "I...am what is called a 'Guardian of Aura'. What that means is that I can sense and control Aura, like a Lucario. There's also an order of Guardians, and it's our job to keep balance and peace when it's too much for normal people to handle. If...the Order were to find out...about us, then they would...execute...Tamashī. And, I couldn't stand to lose her, because she means everything to me."

Tamashī lovingly nuzzled Valor's neck, and Holly simply stood there, not knowing what to do. She couldn't knowingly sentence any creature to death, and she didn't want to hurt anyone, but, at the same time, what they were doing was illegal. Did they really love each other so much, that they were willing to risk so much?

In that moment, Holly made a decision. "I won't tell anyone," she said quietly, "I couldn't do that to you two."

Valor and Tamashī both looked overjoyed. "Thank you, Holly."

Tamashī reiterated the sentiment, causing Holly to look around in confusion. "What was-"

Valor waved a hand dismissively. "Tamashī communicates by using a form of telepathy. You get used to it." Valor suddenly blushed, remembering the situation. "Um, not to be rude, but, now that we've cleared that up, would you mind, um, leaving?"

Holly's face went red as well, and she started backing toward the door again. "Oh, sorry. I'll just, uh, leave you two to, uh, whatever it is you were doing."

Valor cleared his throat. "Actually, when you came in, we were already...finished. Now we're just kind of...stuck together."

"Oh," Holly said before going into a giggling fit. "You don't need help with that, do you?"

Valor sighed. "No. I think you walking in on us was enough of a mood killer that the problem has, more or less resolved itself."

"Oh, sorry. I'll just be leaving then." She started walking away, then a thought occurred to her. "Valor, was...was Faerin...a Guardian as well?"

Valor nodded. "Yes, he was. Why?"

"Just wondering." She then left the room, leaving Valor wondering what was going on in her head.

"Do you really think we can trust her?" Tamashī asked.

"I certainly hope so."

A short while later, after they had managed to pull themselves apart, and had dried off, they left the Cove Lily Hotel, wandering rather aimlessly into the city.

After a while Tamashī asked, "Valor, what are we doing?"

He shook his head. "I dunno. But, until a replacement Guardian gets here, we're gonna have to find a way to kill time."

Tamashī yawned. "Well, what is there to do in this city?"

"There's...an art museum, a department store..." Valor smirked as an idea entered his mind, "...and there's the Contest Hall."

"Contest Hall?"

Valor nodded. "Yeah. It's where they hold Pokémon Contests, which are competitions revolving around a performance that shows off the grace and beauty of your pokémon."

A bemused smile appeared on her face. "And you want us to enter one of these...Pokémon Contests?"

"Sure, why not? We don't have anything better to do, and I bet you and I could win one. After all, with your grace and beauty, how could we not?"

Tamashī sighed, then smiled. "Either you're really convincing, or I'm a sucker for flattery. Alright, let's do it!"

With that they set off toward the Contest Hall, not knowing what awaited them there.

***  
Valor and Tamashī were backstage at the Contest Hall, sitting in a waiting room that could only be described as an upscale locker-room. Around them were other trainers, all waiting for the contest to begin.

Mounted on one of the walls was a television screen displaying a wide-angle view of the contest stage. All the people in the room turned their attention to the screen as the stage went dark, and a woman came out from backstage, a spotlight focused on her. "Hello everyone, and welcome to today's Lilycove Pokémon Contest!" There was cheering from the crowd, and then she continued. "For those of you unfamiliar with Pokémon Contests, allow me to explain how this works. First is the performance stage, where trainers, or 'coordinators' will have their pokémons use moves or combinations of moves to show off their pokemon's looks and power. Then, the eight coordinators who advance from that stage will go on to the battle stage, which will work in a tournament style configuration. In these battles the winners will be decided by a point system where each trainer starts with a set amount of points, which will drop or stay the same based on the appeal of their moves and then moves of their opponents. After five minutes, whoever has the most points remaining wins. They can also win by dropping their opponent's points to zero, or by knocking out the opposing pokémons. Now, without further ado, let the contest begin!"

She then introduced the first contestant, and the performance stage began.

After the first few performances, Tamashī turned to Valor and asked, "Are you sure about this? I've never done this before, and some of these pokémons seem rather experienced."

Valor shook his head, a confident smile on his face. "Don't worry about it. I have done this before, and I have a plan. Just follow my lead."

"Alright then." She replied, not entirely convinced.

Several minutes later it was their turn, so they got up, and headed for the stage...

...Valor stepped out onto the stage, Tamashī's Pokeball in hand. He clicked the button in the center, the Ball Capsule making it appear as though Tamashī were cloaked in flames as she appeared on the stage.

Then, the true performance began. First had her fire a Flash Cannon skyward. When the shining sphere of silver energy reached its apex, he had her launch a Dragon Pulse after it. The blue sphere of energy collided with the silver, producing a flash of greenish-blue light. Then, the sparkling silvery remains of the Flash Cannon began drifting downward, each of the thousand points of metal reflecting the light of the impact.

Then, at Valor's command, Tamashī did a twirl and launched an Aura Sphere into the shining cloud of particles. The bands of energy coming off the spinning Sphere caused the particles to start falling faster, in a whirlwind like cascade.

With the points of light now swirling around her, Valor had her use Protect, creating a spherical shield of energy around her. The particles began sliding along the field of energy, making it look as though she were in a giant, sparkling snow globe, the metal particles reflecting a thousand points of light onto her body.

As the last bits of metal fell, Tamashī let the Protect fade away, and the crowd cheered, prompting both of them to bow, before leaving the stage so the next performance could begin...

...As they entered the waiting room backstage, Valor had a huge grin on his face. They sat down, and he asked, "So, was I right? You didn't have anything to worry about."

Tamashī sighed, a smile on her face as well. "Okay, you were right. But don't let it go to your head, alright?"

He laughed, his grin becoming a bit sheepish. "Right, sorry."

"Alright, and that does it for the performance stage!" Their attention was drawn once more to the screen mounted on the wall. "And now, these are the eight contestants who will be moving on to the next stage!"

The screen changed, and now displayed eight pictures, each depicting one of the trainers competing, and the second to last one, was Valor. The images then rearranged themselves into four groups of two. "And these are the first round match ups for the battle stage!"

"Wow, they really didn't waste any time with us, did they?" Valor commented, seeing that they were going to be battling first.

Tamashī nodded, equally surprised. They then left the room, headed for the stage once more...

...Valor stood on the stage, staring down the trainer at the other end of the battlefield. His opponent released his Metang onto the field, then Tamashī left Valor's side, stepping out onto the field herself.

Then, the timer, and the battle, started. The Metang rushed forward using Take Down. Valor had Tamashī dodge, then counter with Aura Sphere. The attack did a moderate amount of damage, but it was clear to Valor that Tamashī was at a bit of a disadvantage against the Steel-Psychic type.

The Metang attacked again, this time using Meteor Mash. Tamashī countered with Dragon Pulse, sending the Metang reeling back. It then used Psyshock, which she easily blocked with Protect. She then dropped the shield and launched another Aura Sphere. The attack hit the Metang head on, knocking it unconscious. They had secured a spot in the semi-final round...

...They stood ready on the battlefield once more, this time facing a young woman and her Umbreon. The Umbreon attacked first, using Quick Attack. The move hit, but, being a Normal-type move, it wasn't very effective against Tamashī. The Umbreon then used Dig, disappearing below the ground.

Tamashī quickly found the Umbreon's Aura, and managed to dodge when it resurfaced. She then countered with a point-blank Aura Sphere, causing a massive amount of damage to her Dark-type opponent.

The Umbreon went flying back, barely keeping its balance when it landed. It took a shaky step forward, then collapsed, knocked out by the damage it had taken. Valor and Tamashī had made it to the final round...

...This was it, the final leg of the contest. For the last time, Valor took up a position at one end of the battlefield, Tamashī by his side. She stepped out onto the field, and their opponent unleashed his own pokémons. There was a brief flash of light, then Valor and Tamashī found themselves looking at a Serperior.

Valor's first thought was 'Oh shit,' and his second thought, accompanied by a sigh, was 'And now she's cowering behind me again.' Tamashī was indeed behind him, hiding from the Grass-type snake pokémon that she was supposed to battle.

There was murmuring coming from the audience as they tried to make sense of what was going on. The announcer woman caught Valor's attention and said, "I'm sorry, but if your Lucario doesn't re-enter the battlefield in the next thirty seconds, you will be disqualified."

Valor turned around to face Tamashī. "Listen, it's just a Serperior. You can do this. I believe in you, Tamashī."

She shook her head furiously. "I can't. I just can't do this Valor. Not against a snake. I'm sorry, okay, but I just can't."

"Alright then." Valor turned back to the announcer and said, "We're done. I forfeit." Then he took Tamashī by the shoulder and they walked off the stage, leaving behind a number of confused expressions.

His stood from his seat in the audience and began to make his way toward the backstage area. He had been watching that young man and his Lucario throughout the whole contest, as they had caught his interest. At least the Lucario had, anyway.

He arrived in the contestants' waiting room, where Valor was sitting, apparently talking to his Lucario. "Look Tamashī, it's not your fault, okay? I told you before, everyone has something they're really afraid of. It's okay."

"Pardon me, you're...Valor, correct?"

Valor turned around and stood up, surprised by the presence of another person. "Uh, yeah. Who are you?"

"My name, is Lawrence." He said with a slight bow of his head.

"Okay. Is there...something I can help you with Lawrence?"

He nodded. "In fact, there is a matter in which you can assist me. You see, I am what you might refer to as...a collector."

"And what does that have to do with me?"

"I am a collector of rare and unique pokémon, and my considerable wealth has allowed me to gather a rather nice collection."

Valor scowled, not liking what he was hearing. "I'll ask again: what does that have to do with me?"

Lawrence smiled. "I would like to purchase your Lucario. She is clearly a quite unique specimen."

"Excuse me?!"

"Money is no object. I can give you as much as you-"

"No."

Lawrence blinked in surprise, not used to such a reaction. "You don't seem to understand. You could spend the rest of your life living like...well, not a king, but certainly like someone of great importance."

"Tamashī is NOT for sale." Valor stated firmly.

"Come now. Be reasonable. One pokémon in exchange for a lifetime of financial security."

"Get this through your head, Lawrence: she is NOT for sale, and no amount of money will change that. End of discussion. Come on Tamashī, we're leaving." With that he and Tamashī walked, leaving Lawrence in a foul mood.

He wasn't used to being denied the things he desired. If he thinks this is over, Lawrence thought, then he is in for an awful surprise.

***  
When they arrived back at the Cove Lily Hotel that night they were stopped by the woman behind the front desk, saying she had a message for Valor. "It's from someone who I believe said his name was 'Galen'."

Valor blinked in surprise. "Oh, uh, okay. So, what's the message?"

"He said, and I quote: The Council has chosen a replacement. You can leave any time you want. Take care of yourself kid, and take care of 'blue' too, not that you wouldn't." She paused, then asked, "Did any of that make sense to you?"

Valor sighed. "Yeah, it all did. Thanks."

Valor and Tamashī then returned to their room, both exhausted, and both glad that they could put Lilycove behind them.

The next morning, after finding and saying goodbye to Holly, the left the city, bound for Sinnoh, and Snowpoint City.


	10. Chapter 7: Return

After several days of traveling via ship, Valor and Tamashī arrived in the Sinnoh Region, the ship docking in Pastoria City. Walking down the gangplank, Tamashī stretched her arms out over her head with a yawn, glad to be back on dry land. She looked over her shoulder at Valor, who was following just a foot or two behind her, and telepathically said, "I can't wait to get back north. I've missed the snow."

Valor smiled, glad to see her happy. In recent days, her smile was becoming a less common event. "I'll never understand how you can stand, let alone like, cold weather."

"I thought you liked snow." She said with a confused look on her face.

"I like snow well enough, I'm just not a big fan of the cold."

"But, you grew up in Sinnoh. This region has tons of snow and plenty of cold places."

"What's your point? Growing up around it doesn't mean I like it."

Tamashī gave an exasperated sigh. "You're ridiculous." Then, with a suggestive wink she said, "I guess it's a good thing you have me to keep you warm."

Valor blushed. "Must you make jokes like that?"

"Who said it was a jo-" She suddenly stopped cold in the middle of the road, standing perfectly still, her eyes closed. Her eyes flew open a second later, and her expression became one of pure rage.

Valor looked at her with concern. "Tamashī, are you alri-" Before he could finish his question she took off running at full speed toward the northern part of Pastoria.

He took off after her, knowing full well that she was faster than him, wondering only what her reason for this could possibly be.

Aitana sat at a small table in the Pastoria Pokémon Center, trying to figure out what to do. She had been in Pastoria for over a week, simply because she didn't know where else to go.

She had spent the last four years plotting her revenge. Now that she had gotten it, she didn't know what to do. She was now bereft of purpose. She felt as though she no longer had a reason for living.

Her Gardevoir was also sitting at the table, right across from her. Her Gardevoir, her oldest and closest friend, had kept his silence about her thoughts, which bothered her a bit. She sighed and stood up. "Come on Gardevoir, let's go."

They left the center, but were forced to stop a moment later when a sphere of energy smashed into the ground in front of them. They looked up and were greeted by the sight of a Lucario standing before them, breathing heavily, a look of absolute rage on its face. Then, a female voice was heard in their minds "You...you are the one...who violated...my mate."

It was then that Aitana noticed that the Lucario didn't have a chest-spike.

Valor came tearing around a corner, then came skidding to a halt. He had followed Tamashī this far, but, upon seeing the scene taking place in front of the Pokémon Center, he was unsure of how to proceed.

Aitana and her Gardevoir were standing there in shock, and Tamashī was growling, a look of bloodthirsty rage on her face.

Valor took a deep breath, and stepped up next to his mate, drawing her attention away from the other two. "Tamashī, let it go. I told you before, I dealt with this."

She looked at him in disbelief. "I will NOT 'let it go'! Not after what HE did to you!" She exclaimed, pointing to the Gardevoir.

Then, unbidden, came the mental sound of a smooth, confident male voice. "What I DID to him? First, I was only following the commands of my trainer. More importantly, YOUR trainer willingly participated in what happened."

"That doesn't mean he wanted to! As far as I'm concerned, you raped him! Now, I'm going to return his suffering to you tenfold!" Valor tried to stop her as she started moving toward the Gardevoir, but she stopped mid-stride, held in place by telekinetic power.

Valor turned to face the Psychic-type, a serious look replacing the calm one he had been sporting only a moment before. "Let her go, RIGHT NOW."

The Gardevoir laughed, a cruel, mocking laugh. "Or what, human? You'll bend over? Perhaps I should remind you what it felt like to be my bitch."

Valor fell to his knees, his body in shock as his mind was assaulted by images and sensations. Though the Gardevoir was still clearly standing in front of him, Valor could actually _feel_ the pokemon's length forcing its way into his body.

Aitana looked on in horror at what her pokémon was doing. She shook her head, coming to her senses. "Gardevoir, stop it! Let them go!"

"No. I'm done taking orders from you," he said with a cold look in his eyes. "It's not like following you has done me any good."

"What are you talking about?"

Gardevoir scowled. "Ever since you were just ten years old, I have been your pokémon. And I've always done everything you asked of me. And why? Because I'm in love with you; I always have been. But you chose some human before I could find the courage to tell you how I felt. I didn't care though, because I was happy just being with you. Even when you spent four years thinking of him, I didn't care. Even though you wouldn't admit it, I knew you still loved him, but I kept following you because I thought that, just maybe, if you got your revenge, you would let go of him, and I would finally be able to tell you how I feel. But clearly, that's not going to happen."

Aitana shook her head. "I'm sorry Gardevoir, but I'm not attracted to y-"

"Don't you lie to me! Or have you forgotten that I can read minds? I know that you've thought about it! And I know that you've enjoyed those thoughts as well!"

As they continued talking, Valor took advantage of Gardevoir's distraction, and by mustering all of his will power, fighting against his mind with everything he had, inch by inch he reached down to his belt, and pulled off a Pokeball.

"Gardevoir, I'm truly sorry, but please, don't take it out on them!" Aitana begged, her eyes tearing up.

"You were the one who had me do that to him in the first place!"

"I know, and looking back, I'm not proud of it. In fact, I regret it!"

"I don't care! The point is, you've been using me for nine years and I haven't gotten a thing out of it! I'm sick of-"

"Akatsuki, Bug Buzz!"

A deafening drone filled the air as Valor's Volcarona attacked, breaking Gardevoir's concentration completely. Taking advantage of the lapse, Tamashī, who could move freely again, rushed forward, her paws glowing green with her Aura. She delivered an open-palmed strike to Gardevoir's midsection, bringing him to his knees. She then delivered a swift kick to his head, her shin colliding with the side of Gardevoir's skull, knocking him out cold, causing Aitana to gasp in shock.

"Sadistic prick." Tamashī spat in Gardevoir's general direction, then trotted over to Valor, who was on all fours. She knelt by his side and asked, "Are you alright?"

He looked up to her, a weak smile on his face. "Yeah, I'm fine." A bit shaky, he stood up with her help, then turned to face his other pokémon. "Thanks, Akatsuki. You were a lot of help. Return." The Bug-Fire type nodded silently just as the red beam of energy made contact, returning him to his Pokeball.

Still being partly supported by Tamashī, Valor turned back to Aitana, who was on her knees next to her Gardevoir. "Aitana, this was an unfortunate occurrence, and I'd like to avoid it in the future. It's not your fault that we ran into each other like this, so I won't hold it against you. I suggest you avoid northern Sinnoh though, because next time could be even worse."

As he and Tamashī started to walk away, Aitana spoke. "Valor, what happened to you? You used to be so timid, and shy…and unsure of yourself. How-why did that change?"

Valor stopped, his back to her. "Being with Tamashī has changed me. I'm willing to do anything for her, even if it means putting myself in harm's way. She gives me strength, and courage, as well as the will and confidence to accomplish anything. THAT is what changed." Tamashī smiled at him, her eyes sparkling. She lightly nuzzled his neck, and he scratched her behind the ear. They then set off, leaving Aitana and her Gardevoir behind.

A few minutes later Gardevoir stirred, then his eyes opened. "What...happened?"

Without hesitation Aitana smacked her pokémon across the face. "You stupid fucking psychopath! What were you thinking?!"

"You already know the answer to that."

She gave an exasperated sigh. "Yes, I do, but that's not good enough! Ever since I had you do that to Valor I've come to regret it, and what you just did was almost as bad!"

"So what now? Are you going to release me or something?"

"I should, but after all this time that we've spent together, I couldn't." She then looked around to make sure nobody was around, then said, "And you're right. I...have thought about what it would be like...to be with you. I care about you very much, but I never said anything, because those thoughts scared me."

Gardevoir gulped. "So, what does that mean for...us?"

She sighed, then grabbed him by the hand, and got up, guiding him along behind her. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" He asked, a look of confusion on his face.

"Where do you think, dumbass?" Dear Arceus, why are all the males I'm attracted to such idiots, she thought as they went back into the Pokémon Center, headed for her room.

***  
The door to the room closed, and Aitana immediately started stripping off her clothes.

Gardevoir stared in shock, scarcely believing what he was seeing. "Are you sure about this? I mean, you've never...that is you're still a-"

"Finish that sentence and you won't have anything left to fuck me with." She turned to face him, her body now completely uncovered.

Gardevoir gulped. He had wanted this for years, but now that the moment was here, he found that he was very nervous. She stepped closer to him, causing him to blush. She smirked, and asked, "So, do you like what you see?"

He looked away, avoiding her gaze. "I always have."

She reached up and turned his head back toward her, then took a deep breath, and pressed her lips against his, kissing him for the first time. They allowed themselves to be consumed by that moment, him being careful not to get too close to her, lest he harm her with his chest-spike. When she pulled away a moment later he released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. She turned around and walked over to the bed, then bent over, resting her arms on the mattress. She looked back at him and said, "Go ahead. I'm all yours."

He was momentarily taken aback by how fast this was moving, but then he decided that, after waiting for so long, it was a nice switch. He came up behind her and placed his hands on either side of her hips. His fully erect, vaguely human shaped length was lightly pressing against her already slick entrance, but then he stopped. He looked down at that red-headed vision of beauty for a moment, then asked, "You know the first time hurts, right?"

She nodded. "Yes, I do. But this is you're only chance. Either do it now, or you won't get another one."

Not liking the sound of that, he gripped her a bit tighter, then plunged his maleness into her virgin passageway, eliciting a gasp of pleasure and pain, a few drops of her virgin's blood dripping from between her lower lips.

Her breathing quickened, and she realized that whatever she had been expecting, it wasn't what she was feeling now. Up until this moment, the only thing that had ever come in close proximity of her intimate areas was her own hand, but that didn't compare to the eight inches of snow-white poke-cock that was now filling her. He paused for a moment to allow her to get used to the feeling, then started thrusting, each motion of his hip jolting her forward slightly as he enjoyed the feeling of her tight human sex.

She started biting her lip, desperately trying to avoid crying out-or passing out-due to the strange mix of pleasure and pain she was feeling. Her whole body was quivering, and a moment later she experienced her first coital orgasm, her inner muscles contracting rhythmically around her Gardevoir's length.

Experience had given him some endurance, but he didn't last much longer anyway, and, after filling his trainer with his cream, he pulled himself out of her, and laid himself down on the bed. Aitana carefully flipped herself over, lying down next to him. Breathing heavily, she said, "Amazing as that was, it was more painful than I expected."

He nodded, then moved closer to her. "I love you, Aitana."

She was quiet for a moment, then, deciding that it was time to move on with her life, and that hiding her feelings wouldn't serve a purpose anymore, she quietly said, "I love you too, Gardevoir."

***  
After leaving Pastoria, Valor and Tamashī continued to make their way north toward Snowpoint City. At the end of their first day of traveling they slept in Hearthome City, before moving on toward Solaceon the next morning.

They arrived in Solaceon Town an hour or two before noon. The town was basically one long stretch of road with buildings on either side. It was a small town, one of the smallest in Sinnoh.

As they were walking through the town, Valor stopped, a conflicted look in his eyes. "Are you alright? Is something wrong?" Tamashī asked, concerned by her mate's behaviour.

He was quiet for a moment, then with obvious reluctance, he started to speak. "Listen, I uh...there is something...that I need to take care of-something important. But, I need to do it...without you. So, my question is this: would you be alright...with me...leaving you here...at the Pokémon Daycare for, well, the day?"

She blinked in surprise at the request. Then surprise turned into confusion. "Well, if you need to do something by yourself, that's fine, but why leave me at the Daycare? I can take care of myself for a little while, you know."

Valor sighed. "Sweetheart, I love you, but whenever you go off somewhere by yourself, and nobody is watching, you get into trouble."

She crossed her arms, clearly not pleased with that particular characterization. "Give me one example."

He smirked. "Okay, what about that time you pissed off that swarm of Beedrill?"

She gave an indignant scoff. "That wasn't my fault. They overreacted. How was I supposed to know they had a nest in those trees?"

"Besides the fact that you have the ability to see Aura?" Valor gulped upon seeing the irritation on her face. "Okay, forget that example. What about that time with the Zoroark?"

"Hey, you agreed not to bring that up again! Besides," she continued, looking rather embarrassed, "Zoroarks create very convincing illusions. I...couldn't have possibly know he wasn't really you. But nothing happened and you know it!"

Valor held his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay. Fair enough. It was convincing, but you _did_ figure it out-and kick his ass-before anything happened. But what about what happened in Undella Town? You know, with that crazy Ninetales?"

Tamashī looked down. She didn't have an argument for that. "Alright, fine. You win. But if I have to be put in the Daycare, I refuse to be put in there alone."

He nodded understandingly. "Alright then. Who do you want to go with you?"

"Kinzoku." Tamashī responded without hesitation.

"That was quick. Why her?"

"Because she's the only one that I actually like and get along with. She's the only one I can really talk to."

Valor was confused. "What's wrong with the others?"

Tamashī sighed. "Seiza is too proud of himself, especially for a male member of a species where the females are dominant. Inazuma, while not actually a snake, is a bit too serpentine for my taste. I don't really dislike Akatsuki, but I find his constant silence kind of unnerving. Then Sangoshou, well, he's just a douche."

"What do you mean?"

"He's pompous, judgemental, and he's the only member of the whole team who isn't accepting of our relationship."

"Wow, really? I had no idea."

"He's good at hiding it, but we all know how he really feels."

Valor ran a hand through his hair, taking in the information. "Okay then. Kinzoku it is."

Less than half an hour later, Tamashī and the female Aggron were let out into the Daycare's outdoor area, at which point Tamashī looked up, just catching a glimpse of Seiza flying off, carrying her mate off to who knows where.

Actually speaking for once, she said, "I wonder where he's going. I mean, what could he have to do without me?"

Kinzoku tilted her head slightly, not used to seeing her friend so...sombre. "Don't worry, Tamashī. He never does anything without a good reason. He certainly wouldn't separate himself from you without a good reason."

Tamashī sighed sadly. "I guess you're right." She then looked around, taking note of all the other pokémon that were out there with them. There was everything from pokémon that had clearly hatched only recently, to pokémon that were fully evolved like themselves, and there were pokémon of every type. "So how should we spend our time?" she asked as the wandered out into what could best be described as a small field.

The Steel-Rock type stretched as they walked. "Honestly, I would be happy just to sleep all day." Kinzoku gave her closest approximation of a smirk as she then said, "But I doubt that appeals to you, seeing as you don't have your usual human pillow."

Tamashī could feel her face growing warm beneath her fur as she shook her head. "And Valor thinks _my_ jokes are bad!"

A female voice then came from behind them. "Maybe that's why he left you here. Of course, it's far more likely that he's bored with you, and went to find some human female to play with."

They turned to face the source of the voice, and Tamashī instantly started growling at the sight of an all too familiar Ninetales.

The fox pokémon smiled. "What's wrong beautiful? Aren't you glad to see me?"

"No, I'm not! What the hell are you doing here, Kas-"

"Don't you dare call me by the name that wretched human forced upon me!"

"Fine then. How and why are you here, _Ninetales_?" Tamashī asked, desperately trying not to lose her temper.

She smiled again. "Why, I'm here for you, of course. After I was left on that beach, I decided I couldn't just let go of a beauty like you. I managed to work my way back to this region by stowing away on ships, but by the time I got to this town, I was exhausted, and half-starved. The humans who run this place foolishly decided to take care of me. I was planning on leaving soon so I could go north to find you, but, as luck would have it, here you are, Lucario."

"My name is _Tamashī_!" She growled at the Ninetales.

The Fire-type scoffed, a look of disdain on her face. "No, it's not. That is the name given to you by a human oppressor."

Kinzoku tilted her head to one side, a rather odd looking movement for an Aggron. "What do you mean 'oppressor'?"

"What do I mean? Humans are selfish creatures. They abuse us and our power. They make us fight, then have the gall to say they care. All we are to them is a way to stave off boredom! We're just their playthings!" Then with clear anger in her voice she said, "Or their sex toys."

Tamashī's eyes narrowed. "What happened to you, to make you hate humans so much?"

"It's not what happened to me," the Ninetales said through shuddering breaths, "It's what happened to my mother. Like you _Tamashī_, she gave her heart to some human. But eventually she was forced to leave because of him. It broke her heart, and she never really recovered. I hate humans, because of what...because of what my...what my...my father...did."

"Your...father? You mean you're half human?" Tamashī asked, utterly stunned.

"Yes. I am. But I'm not here to discuss my origins. I'm here to save you from that human you naively believe is so wonderful. You don't see how wrong you are, and I want to help you, because I love you." She was smiling again, a deceptively sweet and innocent smile.

Tamashī scowled. "You're not here to 'save me', you're here for your own selfish reasons! And not only that, but _you_ are wrong! No matter what you may think of humans, I love Valor, and he loves me, and it's just that simple!"

The Fire-type's expression changed again, becoming darker. "Don't be a fool. He will only cause you pain and suffering. He's just like any other human!"

Tamashī's eyes grew sad. "I pity you. You are so full of hate, because of the actions of one human, that you can't see the good in them. You can't see that they do care about us, that we are more than entertainment to them. I don't know what happened between your...parents, but you shouldn't base all your beliefs on that."

The Ninetales was shaking with anger now. "Don't you act as though you know! I've seen what humans are capable of, and I'm sick and tired of the whole damn spec-"

"Hey, what's going on over there?"

All three of them looked around for the source of the voice, and spotted one of the people who worked at the Daycare, a young man, running over with a look of concern on his face.

The fox pokémon growled, then attacked, a large pillar of flame headed right for the young man. Kinzoku moved, and just barely in time she came between the Flamethrower and the now flinching human.

Cutting of the stream of fire, the Ninetales gave a derisive snort. "Stupid overgrown rock. Look what protecting a human has gotten you."

"Kinzoku, are you alright?" Tamashī asked, concerned for her friend's safety.

The female Aggron was shaking, and had scorch marks covering her body. "I...I'll be fine."

Switching back to using telepathy, Tamashī asked the same question of the adolescent human. He nodded silently, surprised by the sound of her voice in his mind.

Tamashī then turned back to face the Ninetales, her face sporting an expression that could have intimidated a Samurott. "You've gone too far this time, _Ninetales_, and I won't stand for it."

She scoffed. "It's his fault for trying to interfere. And it's her fault for trying to defend him."

Tamashī didn't respond. Instead she quickly charged and fired an Aura Sphere. The ball of energy hit the Ninetales directly, sending her sprawling back several meters.

"You always were powerful. It's too bad. I won't like marring such a perfect body. For, even with all your strength, you are at least part Steel-type, and my flames shall melt your spirit." The Ninetales had a cruel gleam in her eyes, and a second later she attacked again, this time using Fire Blast.

Tamashī used Protect, blocking the flames themselves, but not the heat they gave off. All the other pokémon in the field were watching in silence, not wanting to incur the wrath of the two battling pokémon.

Tamashī dropped the protective field and used Dragon Pulse, the greenish-blue sphere of energy leaving her mouth at breakneck speed. The Ninetales countered with Energy Ball, the Grass-type move colliding with the Dragon-type in a flash of light and smoke.

Kinzoku simply stood by, unable to do anything in her state but watch.

"That's it, I'm done toying with you! Take this!" The Fire-type attacked with Psychic, sending a beam of mental energy straight toward Tamashī. She blocked the attack with another Aura Sphere, the two energies pushing each other back and forth for supremacy. While the Ninetales was focused on blocking her attack, Tamashī jumped up, and, from her aerial vantage point, fired a Flash Cannon at her opponent. The attach hit the unprepared Ninetales, causing her to collapse, unconscious.

Tamashī landed, then quickly went to Kinzoku's side. After looking her friend over she turned to the young man. "My friend needs healing. Go get a restorative, and something for her burns." He nodded and ran inside.

He came back a few minutes later carrying a green spray battle that Tamashī recognized as a Full Restore. "Here, this should heal her completely."

Tamashī sighed when he tried to give it to her. "My paws aren't exactly made for working a spray bottle."

He blushed and his expression turned sheepish. "Oh. Right. Sorry. I'll just take care of it then." He started spraying Kinzoku's wounds. "So, do you two have names?"

Tamashī nodded. "She's Kinzoku, and my name is Tamashī. What's yours?"

He looked away from Kinzoku for a moment, and simply said, "Matt." He then returned to treating the Steel-Rock type. "So what's the deal with that Ninetales? Do you know her?"

Tamashī quickly explained how they knew her, and why they had wound up fighting, but she carefully avoided revealing her relationship with Valor.

"Wow, that's pretty tough to believe. But it does make some sense. Still, I think she overreacted."

Tamashī nodded sadly. "She did, but can you do me a favour? Don't hold it against her. Don't give her another reason to hate humans."

"Don't worry, I won't." He stepped away from Kinzoku, who now looked completely back to normal. "There, that should do it." He then walked over to the unconscious Ninetales, picked her up, and carried her into the Daycare.

"Are you alright, Kinzoku?" Tamashī asked.

"I am now." She answered, stretching out her rejuvenated body. "Do you think you can stay out of trouble if I take a nap? Now I actually need the sleep."

Tamashī laughed. "Yeah, it's fine. I'll wake you up when Valor gets back."

This was exactly what she did when Valor returned a few hours later. He retrieved them from the Daycare, and, after a brief-albeit informative and surprising-conversation with Matt, they set out on the road once more.

"I can't believe Kasai came all this way! Of course, her heritage is a fair bit more surprising."

Tamashī nodded in agreement. It wasn't long before they were out of town, and Tamashī decided to ask the question that had been on her mind since he had returned. "So, where did you go today?"

He smile mysteriously. "Sorry, but I can't tell you."

She stopped walking, prompting him to do the same. "Valor, answer me honestly. Are you...seeing some other female?"

Valor was taken aback by the question, and he had a slightly hurt expression on his face. "Tamashī," he said quietly, "How many times must we go through this? Do you really believe I would do such a thing? Do you really have so little faith in me?"

"No, I just-I-I don't-I don't want to lose you, for any reason." She stammered out, seeming to be on the verge of tears.

Valor stepped closer to her, wrapped his arms around her, and hugged her tightly. Then he whispered, "Tamashī, I will _always_ love you, and I would never leave you. And nothing, absolutely _nothing_, will ever change that. You're the only one for me. No other female-of any species-could ever compare."

She smiled and lovingly nuzzled his neck. "I love you, Valor."

"I love you too." They then separated themselves, and set off down the road once more.

"So really, where did you go?"

He laughed. "I already told you, I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"It's a secret. But don't worry, you'll find out soon enough."

This only made her want to know even more. "Tell me, or I'll maul you!"

"Is that a threat, or a promise?" He asked with a mischievous grin.

"Ugh! You're impossible!"

They continued onward, her pressing him for an answer as they went.

***  
Her red-orange eyes slowly opened, and she was surprised to find that she was now inside, lying on a rather comfortable bed.

"Oh good, you're awake."

The Ninetales looked around for the source of the voice, and was surprised to see a human male standing nearby, specifically the same young human she had attacked earlier. 'Good', she thought, I attacked him, why would he be relieved to see that I'm alright?

Her face must have betrayed her thoughts, because next he said, "Judging by your expression, you're confused. That Lucario, Tamashī told me about you. I felt like it was time a human showed you some kindness. We're not all bad, you know. Most of us aren't, in fact."

She scoffed and looked away from him, prompting him to shake his head sadly. "Well, I won't hold anything against you. You're welcome to stay here as long as you like." He started to walk away, then stopped and said, "By the way, I think Kasai is a beautiful-and rather fitting-name for you."

He then left the room, and she closed her eyes, intending to go back to sleep. As she drifted off to sleep, she was surprised to find herself thinking, if he's the one saying it, I could come to like that name.

***  
Two days later, Valor and Tamashī had made it as far as Route 217, but now found themselves fighting a blizzard as they headed north along the snow-covered route.

They could barely see, and each step was a struggle. "Still happy to see snow again?" Valor asked, shouting to be heard over the wind.

"Not particularly." She said, her voice sounding at a normal level in his mind. With how far they had come already, turning back would be counterproductive, so they continued onward through the driving snow.

After a little while, they could see the vague outline of a small building a short way ahead of them. Moving as fast as they could, they made their way to the building, which turned out to be a small cabin. Valor knocked, and, when there was no answer, they forced the door open, hurried inside, and, fighting against the wind, shut the door behind them.

"It looks like nobody has been here in a while." Tamashī commented as she looked around the one room cabin. It was sparsely furnished, with only a bed and a small table.

Valor nodded. "I don't think it actually belongs to anyone. I think it's meant to be a shelter for people caught in storms."

"Lucky for us, huh?" It was then that she noticed that Valor was shivering slightly. "Are you alright?"

He smiled weakly. "I don't exactly have a built-in fur coat like you do."

She stepped closer to him, smiling seductively. She wrapped her arms around his midriff and said, "How 'bout I help warm you up?"

He laughed. "Now, how could I say no to an offer like that?"

Standing on the tips of her toes she kissed him, and he kissed her back, enjoying the feeling of her warm body against his. After a moment or two their roles seemed reversed, as he was quickly warming up, and she was now trembling slightly, though from anticipation, not cold.

She stepped back from him a moment later, a mischievous grin on her face. Valor eyed her cautiously, not sure he liked her expression. "What?"

"Well, I was just thinking, maybe we could try doing something a little...different, this time."

"Different how?"

She turned and walked over to the bed within the small cabin. She climbed up onto the bed, then positioned herself so she was on her paws and knees, her shapely rear facing toward him. She looked over her shoulder at him, her face still wearing that same grin. "It's really quite simple. I'd like you to take me like the bitch I am."

"Oh, is that all? Well, I think I'm more than capable of that." Then, with a devilish grin of his own he added, "And then some."

"What does that mean?"

He started pulling off his clothes, his jacket coming off first. "You'll see."

She continued to look over her shoulder as he undressed, wondering what her normally submissive mate had in mind. When he was finished he walked over to the bed, but instead of mounting her, as she had expected, he got into the bed and crawled up behind her, giving him a perfect view of her utopia.

He smiled to himself. Though that part of her was usually invisible, covered by fur as it was, at the angle her body was bent it was in fact visible, standing out as a splash of pink against her blue fur. Well, she wants this to be different, he thought.

He carefully flipped himself over so he was on his back, then pushed himself farther up the bed so that his head was between her knees. Before she had time to react, he lifted his head up, and ran his tongue along her sex.

She gasped in a mixture of surprise and pleasure as his soft tongue slid along her tight entrance. He continued upward and started using the tip of his oral muscle to tease at her swollen clit. Panting now, she looked down at him, not believing what she was seeing. "Valor, what are you-"

He pulled away for just a moment, his eyes meeting hers as he said, "Shush, Tamashī. You're always the one taking care of me. Let me take care of you for once." He then returned to his oral stimulation of her now slick lower lips. She gave a shuddering gasp, then smiled, thinking to herself that she had made the best possible choice for a mate.

He returned his attentions to her clit, then took one of his hands from where they rested on her hips, and started stroking her slit with one of his fingers. He started slowly pushing his way into her, and a moment later he was knuckle deep in her mound. He began flexing his fingers, massaging her inner walls as he continued to lick at her clit.

She was moaning slightly now, and the primary thought in her mind was stop teasing and _FUCK_ me already! "Valor..." She begged.

He smiled. "That's it, beg like a good girl to get your treat."

In between outbursts of moaning she said, "You little bastard! I'm going to pay you back for this!"

He laughed. "I look forward to it, but that doesn't sound like begging..."

She couldn't stand it anymore! She _needed_ him inside her, and even if he hadn't said anything, she had been on the verge of begging anyway. So, she decided to play along. As he continued to tease her with his soft tongue and gentle touch, she started to beg. "Please, I need you inside me. Make me your bitch. Pleeasse..."

He smiled again. "That's a good little Lucario. I suppose I can oblige..." He withdrew his hand from her, eliciting yet another moan. He slid out from under her, got up onto his knees, and turned to face her already quivering form.

He moved forward, pressing the tip of his long since erect length against her moist slit. Seeing the pleading look in her eyes he said, "Don't worry. No more teasing. Promise." She gave a yelp of surprise as, in a single thrust, he buried himself to the hilt in her passageway.

"Ooohhh, please let me bear your pups!"

This caught Valor off guard, as she had never said anything like that before. He smiled then, and softly said, "I wouldn't have it any other way." With that he started thrusting against her. Each motion jolted her forward. They both started breathing faster, each thrust of his hips against hers bringing them both closer to their respective finishes.

Hers came first, her inner muscles contracting rhythmically around his member, milking him for his seed. This was enough to push him over the edge, and a moment later he flooded his mate with his virile cream.

They stayed where they were, both panting. Then, with a lustful growl, and a single, seemingly effortless motion, Tamashī turned to face him and pushed him down, pinning him to the bed.

"What are you doing?!"

She smiled. "I told you I would pay you back for teasing me, and making me beg. You had your time to be in control, but now it's my turn." Without hesitation she laid herself down on him and bit into his left shoulder, drawing a gasp of pleasure from him. "Mm, does my little masochist like that?"

"But, I'm not-"

"Valor, are you in pain?"

"Yes." He answered through another gasp of pleasure as she applied slightly more pressure.

"Are you getting sexual pleasure from it?"

"Obviously!"

The corner of her lip twitched as she fought the urge to smile. "So, that would make you a..."

"Fine, you win! Just-ungh-don't stop!"

She gave a muffled laugh, then started grinding against him, enjoying the feeling of her mate's manhood sliding between her lower lips. As her own pleasure increased she had to tighten her focus, so as not to bite straight through his shoulder.

Valor's eyes were closed in ecstasy, and a moment later his balls contracted again, sending another torrent of his seed into her body, and pushing her into another orgasm of her own.

She released her hold on his shoulder, and laid her head on his chest. She giggled. "I love you...my little masochist."

Valor sighed, the laughed. "I love you too." They both drifted off to sleep, satisfied and content.

When they woke up the next morning, the blizzard had passed and sunlight was streaming in through the window.

Tamashī rolled off him and the bed, and stretched out her body. "Looks like we can get going."

Valor got out of bed and went over to where he had left his backpack the night before. "Yes, but first, something else."

She looked at him curiously, and when he stood up he had a small box in his hand. "Here, this is for you."

She took the box and carefully opened it, then let out a surprised gasp. Inside was a shining silver Soothe Bell, strung on a red ribbon. Inlaid in the front, and carved in the shape of a heart, was a Dawn Stone, the aqua coloured gem sparkling, just as her eyes were sparkling with happiness. "Valor, it's beautiful."

He smiled. "_This_, is why I left you at the Daycare. It was custom made, and I had to go pick it up. Turn it over."

She did, and was surprised to find an engraving on the back. The small, curving letters simply said "For my mate Tamashī, with all my love."

She smiled and carefully tied it around her neck, then hugged him and said, "Thank you, Valor. I love you."

He wrapped his arms around her and said, "I love you too, Tamashī. Merry Christmas."

A short while later they left the little cabin, Tamashī wearing her new bell. At around midday they reached the Acuity Lake Front, and half an hour later, they arrived in Snowpoint City.


	11. Chapter 8: Time Spent in Snowpoint

"Valor, are you alright?"

From the moment they had arrived in Snowpoint, just a few minutes before, her mate had seemed...on edge. He was nervous, jumping at the smallest sounds. "You know as well as I do that it's only a matter of time until she realizes we're here."

Tamashī sighed. "Oh, that."

"Yes, that. You know how she is, especially when it comes to me. And, I am getting _really_ tired of-"

"Valor!" There was a joyful squeal, and Valor was knocked the ground by a raven-haired young woman who was now clinging to him.

Tamashī sighed again. "Candice, would you please get off my-" She stopped herself, realizing she had been about to say 'mate'. She corrected herself by quickly saying, "Trainer."

The Snowpoint Gym Leader looked up at her, smiling. "Hello, Tamashī. How are you?" There was a groan from underneath her, and she quickly got up, her smile becoming apologetic. "Sorry Valor. Guess I over did it, huh?"

He pushed himself up into a sitting position, snow sticking to his hair and clothes. The sarcasm in his voice was almost tangible as he said, "No, not at all. I mean, that's what I do when I'm happy to see someone. I just can't help but tackle them to the ground!"

Candice crossed her arms, pouting now instead of smiling. "It's not _all_ my fault. _You_ said you would be gone for two weeks, but you've been away for over a month. How could I not be happy to see you? It's been sooo boring here without you. I've missed you _terribly_." She was smiling again, batting her eyelashes suggestively.

Valor got to his feet with a sigh. "Candice, I've told you before, the answer is no."

"Oh, fine. Be that way. But someday you'll see what you've been missing, and on that day you'll agree to go out with me."

He shook his head. "I don't think of you like that." Or any human for that matter, he thought.

With a wink she said, "Don't worry, you will. Anyway, I have to get back to the Gym, so I'll see you later." She walked away with a wave, leaving Valor feeling rather tired out.

Once she was out of earshot he said, "I like her and all, but sometimes she is _really_ irritating."

Tamashī scoffed, her tail flicking in irritation. "You think she irritates you? Whenever she starts acting like that I feel like I want to rip her fucking head off!"

Valor chuckled. "Alright, calm down. Jealousy isn't a good colour on you."

"Humph. Fine." Her stomach rumbled at that moment, her expression turning sheepish. "I don't suppose we could get something to eat before checking into the Pokémon Center?"

He fought back the urge to laugh as he said, "Sure, I don't see why not."

Half an hour later they were sitting in the cafeteria of the Snowpoint Pokémon Center, their stomachs full. Tamashī gave a contented sigh. "That's much better." Valor laughed, causing her to look at him curiously. "What's so funny?"

He shook his head, a smile on his face. "Nothing. You just...amuse me."

"You're very strange sometimes, Valor." She commented with a bemused smile on her face.

"Perhaps, but you're not exactly normal either."

"Touché." They both started laughing at that point, and continued to for another minute or so.

Wiping a tear from his eye, Valor said, "Crazy Gym Leader or not, it's nice to finally be back here. I've missed Snowpoint. And let's face it, most Gym Leaders are a little on the crazy side."

She nodded in agreement, then a strange expression crossed her face, as though she were trying to remember something. "Valor, what did you just say?"

"Most Gym Leaders are a little crazy?"

"No, before that."

"It's nice to finally be back in Snowpoint?"

"Yeah, that. That reminds me of something, but I don't know what. I think...it had something to do...with Galen."

His expression became one of confusion. "Something to do with...wait a minute! I think I know what you're talking about." He started searching through his backpack, and a moment later he produced a slightly bent envelope. "This what you meant?"

She nodded. "Yeah. He said he didn't want you to open it until we got back here."

"Well, I guess it's time I opened it then." He tore open the white paper package, and pulled out three sheets of paper. Written on one of them were the words "Read me first." He unfolded the sheet, which turned out to be a letter, written in Galen's hand. Valor began reading aloud.

_Dear Valor and Tamashī,  
If you're reading this, then you're back in Snowpoint City. If you're not in Snowpoint, than put the letter back RIGHT NOW. Getting back on topic, this is a gift for the two of you. As you may or may not be aware, I have, frankly, a ton of money._

"Oh great, he's bragging." Valor commented before continuing.

_As such, I have a few houses in my possession, including one on the shores of Lake Acuity._

Tamashī stopped him. "Is he saying what I think he's saying?"

Valor nodded. "Listen to this."

_Since I'm rarely in Snowpoint, I've decided to give it to the two of you. I figured you were probably tired of staying in Pokémon Centers, and if you do happen to have kids, then this is also better than a Pokémon Center as far a space and privacy go. I included the property deed in the envelope, as well as a map showing where it is, although it shouldn't be hard to find. Enjoy it, and take care of it._

Galen

_P.s. The keys are in the mailbox that's attached to the door._

They were both grinning in a mixture of excitement and disbelief. "He can't be serious. I mean, who just...gives somebody a house?"

Tamashī shook her head. "Apparently Galen does."

Valor unfolded the other papers. As the letter had said, one was a map, and the other was the deed to the house. "Unbelievable. Just, unbelievable." He stood up, put on his backpack, and gathered up the papers. "So, how 'bout we go check out our new house?" He gave a brief chuckle, not believing he had actually just said that.

Tamashī nodded in agreement, and stood up, then they left the Center, and set out for the lake.

"I said it before, I'll say it again. Unbelievable."

After leaving Snowpoint they had made the short trip to the Acuity Lake Front. Some climbing and a bit more walking after that, and they reached the lake itself. As Galen's letter had said, the house wasn't difficult to find. Though, looking at it now, Valor decided that the term 'house' was an egregious understatement.

A more befitting term for the building before them might have been 'ski lodge', as that was what it resembled. The base of the structure was stone, and the walls were made of wood. There was a set of stairs leading up to the front door, and stretching around two sides of the building was a raised deck. The roof stretched out over the deck, protecting it from the snow. The structure was only one story in height, but the two chimneys protruding from the roof added to its height.

The climbed the stairs, the snow crunching beneath their feet. Screwed onto the dark wooden door was a black metal box-the mailbox mentioned in the letter. Valor opened it, and, after a few seconds of running his hand along the inside, pulled out a set of keys. He unlocked the door and went inside, Tamashī following close behind.

Valor gave a long whistle upon seeing the room they had entered. It was a well-furnished living room with a fireplace built into one wall. On the opposite side of the room was a counter with bar stools underneath, and there was what was basically a window, through which the kitchen could be seen. There was a door to the right of the counter which clearly led to the kitchen.

Opposite the front door was a door way into a hallway where several closed doors could be seen. The bedrooms, they guessed.

Valor went into the kitchen, the door swinging closed behind him. A quick search revealed a full pantry, and, Valor noted with some amusement, a well-stocked liquor cabinet. The refrigerator however, was empty. He sighed. "I figured as much. Looks like we're gonna have to do some shopping, Tamashī." He was quiet for a moment, awaiting a response from his mate. When none came, he looked away from the empty fridge in confusion. "Tamashī?"

This time a response came. "Hey Valor, come here."

He left the kitchen and looked around. She had walked into the hallway, and was now standing there, looking up at something. He walked up next to her, and looked up as well. There was a cord hanging from the ceiling, attached to a rectangular panel. "What is that, Valor?"

"It's how you get into the attic. Here, step aside." She did, and he pulled the cord, a ladder unfolding from the ceiling to allow access to the space above. When he started to climb up, Tamashī placed a paw on his shoulder, stopping him. He looked at her curiously. "What?"

"Valor, I've seen horror movies. Bad things happen in attics."

It was clear she wasn't joking, but he couldn't help but laugh. "Why do I let you watch TV?" He asked jokingly.

"Valor!" She scolded.

He favoured her with a loving smile. "It's alright, Tamashī. This isn't a movie. It'll be fine. You worry too much." He continued climbing, and disappeared into the attic a moment later.

After a minute, and with clear reluctance, Tamashī followed him up after him. As she climbed she was unaware of the icy-blue eyes watching her.

When she stepped into the attic she looked around, and spotted Valor at the far end of the room, a few boxes scattered around him. "So, what's up here?"

He looked up in response to the telepathic query. "Not much. Looks like mostly junk, but we should leave it here, just in case any of it is important to Galen." He walked over to her, a smirk on his lips. "So, here we are, in the attic, and nothing bad has happened."

She crossed her arms with a 'harrumph'. "Fine, but I'd still like to get out of here if you don't m-" At that moment the door to the attic slammed shut. With a slight gloating tone she said, "What did you say Valor? 'Nothing bad has happened?'"

"I've been wrong before." He gulped as the temperature in the room dropped.

They moved so that they were standing back-to-back, not wanting anything to catch them off guard. It was quiet for a moment, then an attack came in the form of a Shadow Ball headed straight for Valor.

He quickly blocked with an Aura shield, the purplish-black orb colliding with the emerald coloured field of energy. He closed his eyes and reached out with his senses to find the source of the attack. It didn't take long to find.

Floating a few meters in front of him was a pale blue Aura, and its form was one he recognized. Having identified their assailant, his eyes snapped open. "Tamashī, it's a Froslass!"

"Well that explains the cold, but why is she attacking us?"

Valor shook his head. "I don't know, but I know you can beat her."

She gave an exasperated sigh. "Valor, I'm a Fighting-type. She's a Ghost-type. I can't even hit her!"

Another attack hit his shield, this time an Ice Beam. "Yes, but she's also an Ice-type. Ice-types are weak against Steel-type moves, and you know Flash Cannon."

"Oh, right." She responded sheepishly. She then turned to face the source of the attacks, which had just used Thunder Bolt. She closed her eyes to find the other pokemon's Aura. She gave a nod, prompting Valor to drop the shield, at which point she fired a shining silver sphere of energy at the concealed ghost pokémon. The attack hit dead-on, causing her to become visible and fall to the ground.

Valor breathed a sigh of relief as the temperature in the room began returning to normal. "Nice shot sweetheart."

"Thanks."

They walked over to the white pokémon, who was now unconscious on the wood panelled floor. "So, what do we do with her?"

"Wake her up, and have her explain herself." Valor answered.

Using a Revive they brought her back to consciousness, and Valor wasted no time in asking, "Why did you attack us?"

"Fros Froslass lass Froslass!"

Valor turned to Tamashī. "Translation?"

"She said, and I quote, '_You_ invaded _my_ home."

He turned back to the other pokémon, a look of confusion on his face. "But, this isn't your house. It's ours."

"Froslass Froslass lass Fros Froslass."

"She says she's been living here for three months."

Valor ran a hand through his hair, then pulled Galen's letter out of his pocket. "Um, listen Froslass. The guy who used to own this place didn't come here very often, and he gave this house to us. It's all here in this letter."

The piece of paper floated out of his hand and stopped in front of the Froslass. After a minute the paper fell to the floor, and her expression grew sad. "Fros...Fros. Froslass Fros. Froslass lass, Fros Fros."

"I'm sorry. I was wrong. I'll go ahead, and leave." Tamashī translated.

She started floating toward the wall, a depressed look in her eyes.

Valor sighed. "Froslass, hold on. Do you um, do you have any problems with humans and pokémon forming relationships?"

The Ice-Ghost type turned to face him, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "Fros?"

"Why?" Tamashī translated, a confused look on her canine features.

"Well, Tamashī and I are together. If you don't have a problem with that, than I don't see any reason why you can't stay here, as long as you behave yourself."

Froslass looked at him in disbelief. "Lass?"

"Valor, are you sure about this?" Tamashī asked, then added, "She said 'really'."

He nodded. "We can't just kick her out. Besides, we have the space."

Coming to her senses, Froslass rushed forward and wrapped her arms around his midriff, hugging him tightly. He gently pushed her off him, saying, "You're welcome, but please don't do that. You are _very_ cold."

She backed away, an apologetic look on her face. "Fros."

This time he didn't need a translation. "It's alright. Just, don't do that again, please. Come on, Tamashī. See you later, Froslass."

They returned downstairs, leaving Froslass by herself in the attic. So, he...likes pokémon, she thought to herself with a smile.

***  
Leaving Froslass to her own devices above, they set out to explore the remaining rooms of the house. A quick search turned up a laundry room, a bathroom, and two mid-sized bedrooms.

Opening the last door in the house revealed the master bedroom, complete with its own bathroom. "So, I guess this is our room." Valor said with a disbelieving laugh. Even with how their day had gone thus far, Valor still had some trouble believing it was really all theirs now.

They entered the room, taking quick stock of their new quarters. There wasn't much in the way of furniture. What they did have was a simple dresser with six drawers, a bed with a king-size mattress, and two nightstands, one on either side of the bed.

Valor walked over to one side of what was now their bed, and set his backpack down beside the nightstand. Tamashī on the other hand, with no possessions but the Soothe Bell Valor had given her, immediately laid herself down on the bed, tired by the day's events.

She immediately noticed that something was...different about the bed. She started squirming slightly, trying to make sense of it. It was comfortable, but different. "Valor, something doesn't feel right about this bed."

"What do you mean?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. It's nice and comfy, but it feels...odd."

He pressed his hand down on the bed, testing it. He then lifted the sheets, and his suspicion was confirmed. "That's why it feels different to you. You're used to mattresses made with springs, but this one is made from stuff called memory foam."

"Oh. Well, whatever it is, it's nice." Her contentment was clear, both on her face, and in the sound of her telepathic voice. She turned her head to look at him, a seductive smile on her furry lips. "So, feel like testing our new bed properly?"

Valor laughed, shaking his head. "You're insatiable."

"Only when I want to be."

He rolled his eyes and said, "Right. _Only_ when you want to be." Then with a smile he added, "But I would be crazy to say no to someone as beautiful as you."

He began pulling off his clothes, and she untied her bell from her neck, gently laying it down on her nightstand. "You know, I may be insatiable at times, but you sometimes overuse lines like that."

He smirked. "You sound like you and your vanity don't like being complimented."

"I do like it, but sometimes they feel kind of...cliché."

Valor sighed. "Fair enough, I suppose. I'll uh, I'll try to work on that, shall I?"

She shook her head. "No, don't. It's part of what makes you, well, you."

He slid into bed, moving so that there were just a few inches separating them. "You're kind of indecisive, you know that?" He didn't give her a chance to respond though, as he immediately closed the gap between them, taking her in an impassioned kiss. They continued like this, their bodies pressed together, her fur brushing against his skin. Her long, flat tongue snaked its way into his mouth, sliding in as deeply as it could, enjoying the taste of her mate's mouth. They could feel each other's heartbeats, and every breath as well. He could feel his length swelling, and she could feel a sort of longing in her loins, both of them becoming aroused.

Then came a voice, effectively ruining the moment, simply saying, "Froslass?"

They broke off the kiss, surprised by the sudden intrusion. Still in shock they looked up to see Froslass hovering about two feet above the bed. Valor pressed himself closer to Tamashī, trying to keep his erection out of sight. "Froslass, what are you doing in here?"

Froslass spoke for a moment, then Tamashī translated. "She says she's really grateful for you letting her stay here, and she wants to...thank you...properly."

He looked back at Froslass. "And by 'properly', you mean...?"

"Fros."

"Sex." Tamashī said with a giggle.

Valor gulped. "I thought so. Um, Tamashī and I only do that with each other, so, I would have to say no."

"Actually Valor, I think it's alright for you to...you know."

He blinked in surprise. "I'm sorry, what? Who are you and what have you done with my mate?"

Tamashī shrugged. "Well, the way I see it, she's basically just a floating head with arms. You can't get her pregnant or anything, so I don't really see a problem with it. Or am I wrong, Froslass?"

Froslass shook her head in response. Valor looked back and forth between them. "But, you get stressed out if you even _think_ about me being with another female."

"I know. Why don't we just think of this as my way of...making up for being so uptight about this stuff."

"So, you're really okay with this? This isn't some kind of...test?" Valor asked, not entirely convinced.

She kissed him and simply said, "I'm really okay with this."

He smiled. "I love you."

"I love you too. Now, give me something to watch."

He laughed. "As you wish." He looked up at Froslass. "So, you sure you want to do this?" She nodded, so he laid back, fully exposing himself to her view.

Her eyes widened slightly at the sight, but she wasted no time in floating down until she was just a few inches above him. He could already feel a bit of a chill, and he found himself wondering if this was really such a good idea. Those thoughts were cut short though, as Froslass took him fully into her mouth.

The sudden cold caused him to gasp in shock, but as Froslass's head began bobbing along his length, he became used to it, and even began to enjoy the feeling. He closed his eyes in pleasure, and was surprised at the realization that he was gripping the edge of the bed. Froslass smiled to herself, enjoying his reactions with the knowledge that she had caused them.

As Tamashī watched she found that she was strangely turned on by the sight of the Ice-Ghost type pleasuring her mate. Realizing she wouldn't be able to stand just watching, she reached down, running her paw along her sex, using the sight before her as fuel for the fire.

Froslass began using her tongue, the small, cold muscle only adding to Valor's pleasure as she licked at his tip with it. He opened his eyes, and was immediately amused by the sight of Tamashī touching herself. "Enjoying yourself sweetheart?"

She gave a wry smile, then lunged forward, sinking her teeth into his right shoulder. He arched his back, surprising Froslass as he was forced deeper into her mouth. "How's that for an answer?"

Tamashī began to apply more pressure as Froslass continued bobbing between his legs. The combined sensations proved too much for him. He could feel his orgasm coming, and indeed it did a moment later, filling Froslass's icy mouth with his warm cream.

Froslass lowered herself onto the bed, breathing heavily, each breath coming with a small puff of steam. He found himself wondering where his seed had disappeared to, as she didn't seem to have a stomach. He didn't get very long with those thoughts though, as Tamashī released her hold on his shoulder and rolled her body so that she was on top of him. "You had your fun, my love. Now it's my turn."

She reached down and guided the tip of his still cold member until it was pressing against her entrance. She shivered from cold and pleasure as she slid him into her hot passageway.

She began pistoning along his length, each motion sliding his steely rod between the soft flesh of her lower lips. She laid herself down on him, exchanging the up and down motion for a rough grinding action. Each impact of her hips against his accompanied by the muffled thump of Lucario fur against human skin.

Essentially evening up the marks on his body, she bit into his left shoulder, causing him to thrust into each grinding motion, pushing his manhood deeper into her. Froslass stared in awe as they both became cloaked in green energy, both commanding the flickering lights of their Auras to envelope one another.

A moment later Tamashī cried out in shock and pleasure as the consistent impacts caused her cervix to give way, allowing him access to her body's most sacred area. She began biting harder as her orgasm ripped through her body, contracting around his length, trying to draw him in deeper.

His body couldn't stand it any longer, and his balls contracted, firing his liquid love directly into her womb.

He laid his head back, and she laid hers on his chest, both panting heavily. Tamashī wiggled in happiness, her tail slowly waving back and forth. She then blinked in confusion as she caught an unfamiliar scent. Looking at her mate's body she cried out in dismay. "Valor, you're bleeding!"

He looked down at his shoulder. There were, in fact, four small spots of blood on his shoulder where her canines had punctured his skin. "Oh, I guess I am."

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to-"

He held up a hand, stopping her. "It's fine Tamashī. You barely broke the skin. Don't worry about it."

"You're sure."

He nodded, a loving smile on his lips. "I'm sure."

She laid her head back on his chest, snuggling against him. "I'm still sorry."

"I know, but don't worry about it."

With a contented sigh she said, "I love you, Valor."

"I love you too." He replied, wrapping his arms around her.

Froslass had already drifted off to sleep, and it wasn't long before they too entered into the realm of dreams.

When Tamashī woke up the next morning the first thing she noticed was that Froslass was no longer in the room. Searching for the ghost pokémon's Aura, she quickly found that Froslass had returned to the attic. She must have returned there sometime last night, Tamashī thought.

Not wanting to wake Valor she gently eased herself off him, shuddering slightly at the feeling of his limp length sliding out of her. With a certain amount of pride she managed to climb out of bed without disturbing her soundly sleeping mate. After making use of the bathroom she gently picked up her bell up off the nightstand and quietly crept out of the room.

As she made her way through the house she tied her bell around her neck, no simple task considering her lack of thumbs. Though it was still dark inside the house she could see through the windows that the sky was starting to grow brighter, indicating the sun would be up soon.

She quietly opened the front door and stepped out onto the deck, enjoying the feeling of the cold morning air.

Tamashī sat down of the bench seat that was against one of the walls of the house, waiting for the sunrise. As she watched the sky continued to grow brighter, until the yellow-orange disk of the sun changed the sky from inky blue to a mixture of vibrant oranges, shimmering yellows and bright, fiery reds. It's beautiful, she thought simply.

"You know, you never really appreciate these things until you see them for yourself."

Tamashī's head whipped around at the sound of the voice. Valor was standing in the doorway, admiring the sunrise, just as she was. It bothered her that she hadn't noticed his approach. "When did you-how did you…?"

With a smile he said, "You're not the only one who can move quietly, Tamashī."

He walked over and sat beside her, the bench creaking slightly from the added weight. She shook her head with a smile, then leaned against him, laying her head on his shoulder. They then sat there together in silence and watched the sunrise.

"So, where are you going?"

After returning inside Valor had started getting ready to leave, which didn't make any sense to her. Halfway through pulling on his jacket he looked at her curiously. "Don't you remember? I said yesterday that we needed to do some shopping."

She shook her head. "With everything else that happened yesterday, I must have missed that. So, do you need me to go with you?"

Now ready to go, Valor started toward the door. "No, it shouldn't take too long. You can stay here and, I don't know, keep Froslass company."

Her ears and tail drooped slightly, almost imperceptibly. "Oh, okay. I'll see you later then. I love you."

"I love you too. I'll be back soon."

With that he was gone, leaving Tamashī feeling rather lonely almost immediately. With a sad little sigh she walked over to one of the two couches in the room, laid herself down on it, and closed her eyes, intending to sleep until her mate returned.

"He's not too bright, is he?"

Tamashī's eyes opened to the sight of Froslass floating above her. "What are you talking about?"

Froslass floated down to sit on the back of the couch. "Valor. He's not terribly bright is he? I mean, it was obvious that you wanted to go with him, but he didn't even realize it."

Tamashī would have argued, but she knew it was at least a little true. "It's not that he's not bright, he's just a little slow on the uptake at times. He's usually pretty good at knowing how I'm feeling."

Froslass nodded in understanding. Then she spoke again. "Not that I have anything against it, but why mate with a human?"

"I've asked myself that before, but I really don't know. Maybe it was his kindness, or his endearing shyness. But at some point I just…realized that I had fallen in love with him. 'Course, I never would have believed he felt the same way if he hadn't told me himself-and if I hadn't noticed how he looked at me before we were together. I'm not really sure why I chose him, but I'm lucky to have him. After all, no male of my own species would look twice at me."

Froslass canted her head to one side. "Why not?"

Tamashī took a deep breath. She had never shared this with anyone. Not Kinzoku, and certainly not Valor. But for some reason she decided to trust Froslass. "You see, Valor and I went through this whole seven month training thing before we were mated. It was actually during that time that I realized my feelings for him. Anyway, while Valor was learning how to sense Aura, I was learning more about my own species. Most Lucarios are male, so they usually look for love outside the species, or they mate with another male-primarily for the intimacy and protection that comes with the relationship. But, male or not, every member of my species has a chest spike-except me. Because of that one little difference, any male Lucario would see me as an unworthy mate."

Froslass shook her head. "That's disgusting. How could your own species treat you like that?"

Tamashī shrugged in response. "They want the best possible mate to produce the strongest offspring. It's hardwired into our instincts. And they would see my genetic differences as weak."

"I still think it's disgusting. But back to the original topic. Why Valor? From what you've told me, your instinct should be driving you to reproduce. But, is that even possible with a human?"

Tamashī smiled softly. "Actually it is, although the chance isn't very high. Even if it never happens though, I would rather spend my life trying with Valor, than have pups with someone I don't love."

"I think I understand. You-both of you-are lucky to have each other." Froslass floated off the couch and up toward the ceiling.

"Hey Froslass, do you think maybe you could stay out of the way tonight? I feel like having a night alone with Valor."

With a smirk Froslass replied, saying, "I think I can manage that. After all, he is your mate."

She then drifted up through the ceiling and into the attic, leaving Tamashī alone once more. This time though, she didn't feel quite so lonely.

Valor returned a couple hours later, carrying plastic grocery bags full of food. To Tamashī's dismay he was not coming alone though, but was accompanied by Candice.

Leaving the female Gym Leader waiting outside Valor entered the house and hurried straight to the kitchen, avoiding looking at Tamashī. She wasn't far behind him though, and as soon as she entered the kitchen she asked, in a rather accusatory tone, "What is _she_ doing here?"

He gave a stressed sigh, still avoiding Tamashī's gaze. "She wants to have a battle. I tried to get rid of her, but she wouldn't take no for an answer."

Tamashī shook her head in exasperation. "Wonderful. Alright, hurry up in here so we can get this over with."

She turned and walked out of the room, leaving Valor thinking that this probably wouldn't be the last he heard on the subject.

A short while later they stood on the snow covered shore of Lake Acuity, Candice facing them from the other end of their chosen battlefield. They had agreed to a three-on-three battle-or rather Candice had chosen it without giving them another option.

"Okay, I'll start with this!" Candice opened one of her Pokéballs, releasing her Weavile onto the battlefield.

Valor pulled Akatsuki's Pokéball off his belt and sent out the Bug-Fire Type. "Ladies first."

"Weavile, Aerial Ace!" The Dark-type charged forward at blinding speed, almost invisible to the naked eye, and collided with the moth pokémon, sending him reeling back.

"Heat Wave!" At his trainer's command Akatsuki attacked, the air shimmering with heat and laced with flickering embers as a mass of blisteringly hot air smashed into Weavile, the partial Ice-type being knocked out instantly.

Candice returned her unconscious pokémon to its ball, then immediately threw out her next pokémon, Glaceon. Wasting no time she called out her next attack. "Water Pulse!"

The ice fox fired a solid sphere of water that exploded on impact with Akatsuki, knocking him out. Valor recalled his pokémon, exchanging him for Kinzoku. "Head Smash!"

Following his direction the female Aggron charged toward Glaceon, her entire body cloaked in vibrant blue energy. The Ice-type dodged in response, but anticipating that Valor called out, "Sweep with Iron Tail!"

Kinzoku twisted her body around, smashing into Glaceon with her now glowing tail. The smaller pokémon was sent flying, and was already unconscious when it hit the ground. Candice recalled her defeated pokémon and sent out her final pokémon-Mamoswine. Now it was a literal battle between giants.

"Kinzoku, Head Smash!"

Kinzoku rushed forward once more, headed straight toward Mamoswine. With a slight smile Candice called out the next attack for her pokémon to use. "Earthquake!"

Mamoswine's power caused the ground to shake, damaging Kinzoku until she fell, knocked out by the power of the Ice-Ground Type.

Valor returned Kinzoku to her Pokéball, and, before he could say a word, Tamashī had stepped out onto the battlefield, clearly intent on challenging the behemoth. He would have argued against it, but he knew she was the best choice for finishing the battle.

"Mamoswine, end this with another Earthquake!" At Candice's command her pokémon set off another tremor, creating numerous snow flurries in the process.

But Valor was ready with a plan this time. "Tamashī, jump, onto Mamoswine's back!"

She leapt and flew through the air, landing on top of the larger pokémon. Mamoswine began bucking wildly, desperately trying to throw Tamashī off. Valor smirked at the sight. Now it's over, he though. "Aura Sphere!"

The orb of swirling energy exploded on contact with Mamoswine, causing it to collapse to the ground with another small tremor, knocked out cold. Tamashī jumped off the back of her opponent, landing lightly in front of Valor with a slight jingle from her bell and a satisfied smile on her face.

With a sigh Candice returned Mamoswine to its Pokéball. "Oh well, I guess that's it for me. You win."

Already walking back toward the house, Tamashī looked back over her shoulder at the Gym Leader. "That's right. You can go ahead and leave now."

Valor shook his head, slightly embarrassed by her. "Tamashī, don't be rude."

Candice smirked. "I wouldn't worry about it Valor. I would think about replacing that bell around her neck though. After all, a Soothe Bell is supposed to have a calming effect, but that one just seems to be making her more of a bitch."

Tamashī stopped midstride, and Valor gulped, knowing that whatever came next wouldn't be pleasant. Tamashī turned around slowly, a dangerous look in her eyes. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

Tamashī began walking toward Candice, only to be stopped by Valor stepping between them. "Get out of my way, Valor."

"No."

"Why are you siding with _her_?"

He shook his head in response. "I'm not. I'm trying to keep you from doing something you'll regret." He looked over his shoulder, speaking to Candice next. "Leave. Now. And if you're going to cause problems like this, then don't come back."

For a moment Candice looked as though she might argue, but she then turned and walked away without a word.

Tamashī turned and started walking toward the house again. "Well I'm glad that's over."

"Hold on! You're not off the hook yet!"

Tamashī turned around, shocked that Valor had yelled at her. "Why not?"

He gave an exasperated sigh. "Because you keep doing this! You keep letting your emotions control you in the worst possible ways! I'm sick of it! The anger, the jealousy, the lack of trust. It's getting _really_ old. Why do you keep acting like this?"

Tamashī began shaking with pent up anger. "Why? Why?! Because I'm a fucking reject! Ever since I evolved I've been different! One physical difference, and because of it members of my own damn species will always see me as weak and unattractive! That's why I keep 'acting like this'! It's the only way to get any respect or protect the things I care about!"

Valor was quiet for a moment, shocked into silence by the tirade. Then he found his voice. "Is that why you're with me? Because you didn't think a member of your species would accept you?"

Tamashī was taken aback by the question. "No! I didn't mean-"

"Then why do you care about what they think?" He walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. "Because you shouldn't. Do you know why? Because you are strong, intelligent, and more beautiful than anyone else, of any species. And, as for protecting what you care about, I'll assume you meant me, and tell you what I've told you before: You are the ONLY one I would ever want to be with, because no one could compare to you. So don't worry so much. And one more thing. If you ever start feeling things like that, talk to me about it. It's not good to hold that stuff in. It can help to talk about it, and you can always talk to me about anything. Okay?"

She nodded and snuggled up to him, nuzzling him gently. "I love you Valor."

"I love you too." With a slight shudder and a sheepish grin he said, "Let's head back inside. I'm getting cold."

She shook her head with a smile and gave him a gentle, playful shove. "You wimp."

Holding her paw in his hand they returned inside, both feeling like they had grown just a little closer to one another.

Despite their stressful morning, the rest of their day was relatively quiet. That evening found them in their lying on one of the couches in their living room. There was a small blaze steadily burning in the fire place, and the television was on, playing some romantic movie made in the Unova region.

Though she had chosen the movie, Tamashī had fallen asleep on top of him halfway through, essentially pinning him in place. He was desperately trying not to move so as not to disturb her, but at the same time the way she was laying on him was becoming uncomfortable. With a sigh and a smile he thought, it's lucky she's as adorable as she is, or I wouldn't let her get away with this.

Deciding he couldn't take it anymore, he gently shifted into a slightly more comfortable position, but unfortunately that was enough to rouse his sleeping mate. She groggily lifted her head to look at him, blinking in confusion. "What's going on? Did I fall asleep?"

Valor stifled a laugh. "Yeah, you did."

"Oh. How long was I asleep for?"

"Not long. Maybe an hour or so."

With a yawn she laid her head on his chest. "I didn't even realize I was that tired."

Valor sighed. "Tamashī, you being on me like this uncomfortable. Do you think you could move, or shift your body, or something?"

She gave him a curious look. "How is this uncomfortable? I've slept on top of you before."

With a groan he said, "Yeah, but you don't usually have your elbow digging into my side or your knee pressing on my balls when you sleep on me like that."

She giggled. "Oh, sorry." She readjusted her body, alleviating the pressure that was causing his discomfort. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, no lasting damage. Don't worry."

With a suggestive smile she said, "Well, maybe we should make sure there's no lasting damage. You now, make sure you're still…functional."

Even though he knew she wasn't joking, Valor couldn't help but start laughing at that. As he laughed her expression turned sour. "What's so funny?"

Wiping a tear from his eye he answered. "I-that just…sounded ridiculous, even compared to the things you usually say."

She crossed her arms with a 'harrumph'

Valor favoured her with a gentle smile. "Don't be like that. After all, it's not like I said no."

The moment he said that her ears perked up and her tail started waving back and forth with excitement. She moved off the couch and stood up, looking at him expectantly.

With a shake of his head he sat up and started pulling off his clothes, starting with his shirt. The moment he was fully undressed, Tamashī was on top of him again, straddling his waist, her lips pressed against his in a passionate kiss. Blood began flowing to his manhood, causing the soft flesh to rapidly become rigid. She began rubbing her whole body against him, her soft fur brushing against every part of him. Even without any kind of penetration, just that grinding motion was having a major effect on him. He pulled back from their embrace and said, "Tamashī, if you keep this up, I'm going to wind up finished before we really start."

She flashed a smile, saying, "Is that so?" She then proceeded to press her body against his, and bite into his right shoulder, then continued rubbing against him, this time at a faster rate. His breath started coming in rapid, shallow gasps, and with it came the onset of a feeling that he knew meant he wouldn't last much longer. Between the feel of her fur and the feel of her teeth sinking into him, he couldn't hold back any longer, his body stiffening as his cream was released into what little space there was between them, covering his stomach and chest, as well as getting into her fur.

With his release she released his shoulder and leaned back to look at the result. With a chuckle she bent down and began to lick his clean of his seed. "Geez Valor, learn how to hold it in."

With a sigh he said, "You're terrible."

"Perhaps, but you love me anyway." Finished with her cleaning she sat back up and leaned in close to him. "Or am I wrong?"

"No, you're right."

In response she kissed him again, sliding her tongue into his mouth. He wasn't totally sure, but he thought he could taste some of his own juices on her tongue. She pulled back after a moment and stood up so that he had a perfect view of her sex. Knowing what she wanted he leaned forward to run his tongue along her entrance, finding the taste as blissful as always. As he continued she hunched over and placed her paws on top of the back of the couch for balance, enjoying the stimulation her mate was providing.

He continued to work his tongue back and forth more vigorously, occasionally licking at her clit with the tip of his oral muscle. She released small moans of pleasure as he parted her lower lips, working his tongue into her passageway, stretching her ever so slightly. He was breathing out through his mouth, and each puff of warm air only added to the sensations she was feeling. Unable to restrain herself, she cried out as an orgasm tore through her body, her own orgasmic fluids covering her mate's tongue and filling his mouth.

Once the moment had passed she dropped-rather heavily-back into a sitting position astride his hips. Looking over their bodies she smirked at the sight of them both. "Well, we sure have made a mess of things."

"Then perhaps a shower would be a good idea." He replied with a matching smirk.

Together they got up and headed for the bathroom in their bedroom. Once there they wasted no time in climbing into the shower and turning on the water. Valor basically had to stand under the water to get clean, but Tamashī's fur required a bit more work, especially since it was already partly dried out. A few minutes of scrubbing later though, and they were both clean.

"So, we still haven't actually had sex. Or was this enough for you?" Valor asked, already knowing what the answer would be.

She stepped up to him and sealed their lips together in response to the question. She reached a paw down between them and caressed his now limp length until it was back to full readiness, then she gently guided the tip to her slit and pressed her hips against his, taking most of him into her in a single motion. He leaned back against one of the walls of the shower as she began to grind against him, his member sliding in and out of her with each motion.

As she continued he started pushing back against her, driving deeper into her passageway, stretching her as only his human length could. She had always felt that, despite the fact that conventional tying wasn't possible with a human mate, the shape more than made up for that, hitting spots that a male of her species never could. And naturally, it was that very shape that brought about her orgasm a moment later, her inner muscles milking her mate until he too felt an orgasm of his own, sending his seed into her body.

The cuddled for a handful of minutes under the running water, then shut off the shower and dried off before heading to bed, satisfied with their night's activities.

Valor's eyes snapped open. It was dark, and his body was coated in a cold sweat. Tamashī was lying next to him, still fast asleep. He sat up slowly, a haunted look in his eyes. He silently climbed out of bed before quietly slipping out of the room, gently closing the door behind him.

Tamashī woke with a small yawn. She turned over and was surprised to see that her mate was not in bed. She looked at the clock that was on Valor's nightstand. It was well after midnight. The first thing that popped into her mind was _Where is he at this time of night?_

She reached out with her senses to search for his Aura, and was surprised to find that he was outside, standing on the deck right outside the front door. She slid out of the bed and made her way through the dark house. The front door was slightly ajar when she reached it. She quietly pulled it open and stepped outside. Valor was leaning against the deck's railing, looking out over Lake Acuity. "Valor, are you alright?"

He looked over his shoulder in response to the telepathic inquiry. He looked at her for a moment, seeming almost…sad. He then turned back to face the lake. "I'm fine. Go back to bed."

She sighed in response to his attempt at concealing his emotions. "Valor, I'm not a child. I know when you're not okay. Now, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Even he didn't sound convinced by his own response.

Becoming irritated she said, "So you expect me to tell you about my problems, but you won't tell me about yours?"

He was quiet for a moment, and just when she was about to say something else, he spoke. "Tamashī, have you ever had a dream so real, that it felt like it was actually happening?"

She canted her head to one side, not sure what to make of that. "I think so. Maybe once or twice. Why?"

With clear reluctance he said, "Because I did just a little while ago. Only it was more like a nightmare."

"What was the dream?" She asked, worried about what the answer may be.

Still showing reluctance he responded. "In…this dream, you…were…dying. In my arms. And, there was nothing I could do to stop it from happening."

Taking a deep breath she asked, "Why was I…I mean how did it happen?"

He shook his head in response. "I don't know. All I know is I couldn't stop it. I didn't know what to do."

"Where were we in the dream, and, was there anyone else there?"

"I'm not totally sure where we were. I wasn't familiar with it. Although, the architecture was old. As for other people," he paused for a moment, trying to remember and trying not to remember at the same time. "I-I think Galen might have been there. And…maybe a couple other people. But that's all I remember."

She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his midsection. "Well, either way, it was just a dream."

He shook his head. "It sure didn't feel like it."

She gently nuzzled the back of his neck, saying, "I know, but it was. I'm fine. You don't need to worry about it. Now, why don't we go back to bed-together?"

He turned to face her and nodded. "Yeah, okay. And thanks, you know, for listening."

She favoured him with a loving smile. "I'll always be here when you need me. I'd be pretty useless if I couldn't make you feel better."

He shook his head with a small smile. "You could never be useless. Not to me." He leaned his head down slightly and kissed her gently, then pulled away and whispered, "I love you, Tamashī."

"I love you too." The returned inside and to the bedroom. They fell asleep in each other's arms, Valor in particular hoping for better dreams.

When dawn came the next day it was snowing lightly, something that was far from uncommon so far north. As the day drew on, Tamashī couldn't help but notice that her mate was acting very quiet and reserved, his mind still clearly focused on the events of the previous night. Eventually he wound up where he had been the night before: standing outside, staring out at the lake, its surface miraculously unfrozen despite the cold. By this time the snow was falling more heavily, making it difficult to see. "Valor, you need to let it go."

He sighed, a depressed and defeated sound. "I know, but I just can't get the image out of my head. I mean, what if it was my fault? What if-"

"Alright, stop it. Look, I get that it was upsetting, but you can't let it consume you. Now, stop moping around and cheer the hell up."

Valor blinked in surprise, not used to hearing her say things like that. "You don't have to be so harsh about it."

"Well, something tells me that kindness isn't going to get through your thick skull on this subject."

He turned to face her, leaning back against the railing and crossing his arms. "Even so, it's not really like you."

"Well, it's not like you to be so upset by something." She walked up to him and stood close to him, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck. "I much prefer you happy and worry free. You're a little intolerable like this."

The corner of his mouth twitched slightly, hinting at a smile. "Well thanks. Nice to know my mate finds me intolerable."

She snuggled up to him, nuzzling him slightly. "Only a little."

Smiling now, Valor shook his head. "Why do I put up with you?" he asked jokingly.

Struggling to keep a straight face she replied rather matter-of-factly, saying, "'Cause I'm cute, loveable, and good in bed."

Valor burst out laughing, and found that he was unable to stop until he was gasping for breath. Breathing heavily he said, "Yeah, that does about sum it up." Then with a smirk he added, "But you forgot about your _overwhelming _sense of modesty."

With a dismissive wave she said, "Details, details." She then stretched up and took him in a gentle kiss, by pure habit slipping her tongue into his mouth.

"Awww, how sweet."

They turned at the sound of the voice, Valor nearly biting her tongue in the process. Coming toward the house where two men they didn't recognize. One was tall and thickly built. The other was slim and short compared to the other, and he had a twisted sort of grin on his face. The shorter of the two spoke, his voice matching the one that had spoken before. "It's not very often you see a human and a pokémon with a bond like that." The sarcasm in his mocking voice was quite clear.

Valor's smile changed almost instantly to a scowl. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

"Well you see, we came here looking for a reward. As it happens, there is a sort of…hit out on your pretty blue friend there. There's some guy offering a ton of money to any Pokémon Hunter who can bring her to him. Apparently he has some sort of collector's interest in her."

Valor gulped. Pokémon Hunters were among the worst kind of people. Their entire job consisted of hunting down rare pokémon and capturing them or stealing them from their trainers, then selling them off, either to a client or to the highest bidder. And on top of that, they were known for being ruthless, and not giving up until they get their mark.

The larger man spoke, a confused sort of look on his face. "Hey Vince, you sure that's the right Lucario?"

Vince shook his head with an exasperated sigh. "Yes Daniel. We're looking for a female Lucario without a chest-spike. How many do you think there are like that?"

"Uh…not many?"

"Very good. Now, stop thinking before you hurt yourself." Vince turned his attention back to Valor and spoke again. "So, how do you want to do this kid? You can either hand her over quietly, or we can take her by force. Your choice."

Valor walked down the stairs and onto the field of snow. "Tamashī, stay there. I'll deal with this."

Vince smiled. "By force it is then. Dusknoir, front and center!"

"Come on out Rhyperior!"

The two Pokémon Hunters sent out there pokémon, clearly not backing down. In response Valor pulled two Pokéballs off his belt, sending out Kinzoku and Akatsuki.

"Valor I can't just stay on the side lines! You need my-"

"Tamashī, stay out of the way. You're the one they want. Don't worry, I'll protect you. Just STAY put."

Vince started laughing quietly. "You two are so naïve. You won't be able to protect her. We do this for a living. We're used to dealing with unruly trainers. Dusknoir, Fire Punch!"

Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Valor was a moment too slow to react, causing Kinzoku to get hit by the fiery strike of the Ghost-type, knocking her back a few feet.

"Rhyperior, Rock Wrecker!" Daniel called out the attack, aiming for Akatsuki.

Prepared this time, Valor called out, "Dodge and use Giga Drain!" The Volcarona followed the command and attacked Rhyperior, but it didn't seem to do much damage even though it should have been devastating to the Ground-Rock Type. It hit Valor at that moment that the Rhyperior's ability was probably Solid Rock. Now this is only more difficult, he thought.

Going for broke, Valor called out, "All right, Kinzoku, use Outrage!" The Steel-Type rushed toward Rhyperior, her whole body cloaked in flames coloured orange and dark blue. The Rhyperior intercepted her, lock his arms with hers so that the two armoured pokémon were pushing back and forth with all their might, each trying to gain the advantage.

"Thunder Punch!"

The shout called Valor's attention back to his Ghost-Type opponent, who was now attacking Akatsuki. "Heat Wave!"

"Double Team!" Dusknoir changed tactics at its trainer's command, and in an instant one Dusknoir seemed to become at least ten. Akatsuki looked around in confusion, not sure what to do.

"Use Hurricane to clear away the copies!" The moth pokémon attacked, whipping up a huge cyclone, dispersing the illusionary Dusknoirs and damaging the real one at the same time.

"Come on Rhyperior, finish it already! Use Horn Drill!"

Valor tried to order Kinzoku to back off from her opponent, but it was already too late. Daniel's Rhyperior pulled Kinzoku in close and struck her with its rapidly rotating horn, knocking her out in a single shot. She collapsed to the ground, leaving Akatsuki fighting alone.

"Valor, let me help dammit!"

"I told you to stay there! I can handle this!"

Tamashī shook her head furiously. "No you can-"

"Thunder Punch!"

"Rock Wrecker!"

The Hunters' pokémon attacked simultaneously, leaving Valor little time to react. "Bug Buzz!"

The attack barely fazed his opponents, and a second later the attacks hit, knocking Akatsuki out cold. He dropped to the ground, leaving Valor shaking in anger.

With a still sadistic smile, Vince pulled something out of his pocket and threw it toward Tamashī. It was small orb that opened in mid-air to reveal a net. She attempted to move out of the way but was a second too slow and was caught in the net, which electrified on contact, knocking her unconscious.

Normally Guardians weren't supposed to use their powers against ordinary humans, but at this point Valor didn't care. Now they had hurt his mate. His whole body glowing green with his Aura he raced toward Vince, fully intending to beat the other man within an inch of his life.

Reacting with practiced calm Vince pulled another compressed net out of his pocket and tossed it at Valor, who in his rage was too blinded to react, and was caught up in the wire web, sending a massive jolt through his body, bringing him to his knees. Vince walked up to him and knelt in front of him, a smug smile on his face. "Like I said, we're used to dealing with unruly trainers." He then roughly struck Valor upside the head, knocking him to the ground.

He stood back up, still smiling. Now for our prize, he thought. "Dusknoir, grab the Lucario!" The Ghost-Type did as commanded and flew over to grab Tamashī's unconscious form, then returned to hand her off to its trainer. "Oof. She's heavy. Daniel, take her would you?"

The larger man returned his Rhyperior to its ball, then walked over to put Tamashī over his shoulder, her Soothe Bell coming loose and falling down into the snow in the process. Vince returned Dusknoir to its ball as well, then with a final sadistic smile in Valor's direction, he and Daniel left, taking Tamashī with them.

Unable to move he could only watch as his mate was taken from him. But even that didn't last long. The electric shock and the blow to his head had affected him, and he could feel consciousness slipping away. His last thought before being engulfed by blackness was that he had failed in the worst possible way.


	12. Chapter 9: Separation

Kinzoku's eyes opened slowly, her mind still hazy from the aftermath of the battle. She stood and shook the accumulated snow off her body, wondering why she wasn't back in her Pokéball. A few meters away Akatsuki had also woken up, and was unsteadily rising into the air. Kinzoku looked around in confusion, trying to make sense of things. Where was Valor? Why had they been left out in the snow?

She got her answer when she spotted their trainer lying on the ground, his body covered in a thin layer of snow. She and Akatsuki rushed over to him, immediately recognizing that he was unconscious. Kinzoku turned to the moth pokémon. "Warm him up, or he won't last for very long."

He nodded silently and began flapping his wings, enveloping Valor in a cloud of warm air laced with small cinders. As the Bug-Fire Type set to warming up their trainer, Kinzoku started looking around again, this time trying to figure out what had happened to Tamashī. A few feet away she spotted, slightly buried by the snow, a long strand of red and a small silvery orb. She gently picked it up, recognizing it as the Soothe Bell she had seen Tamashī wearing. Now she was worried. Valor was unconscious, Tamashī was now where in sight, and the humans from before had disappeared. "What in Arceus's name is going on around here?"

"Kinzoku."

She turned to face Akatsuki, shocked to hear him speak. The snow covering Valor had been melted and evaporated by the heat, but now they had a new problem: they had to get rid of the net that was tightly wrapped around his body. "Any ideas for how to get rid of this?" she asked, curious to see if he would speak again.

She was slightly disappointed when he responded with only a shake of his head, but this wasn't the time for such things. Not when their trainer needed help. "Alright then. I'm going to try to cut it off him with my claws. It's not going to be easy though. I'll have to go slow if I don't want to cut him to shreds in the process."

She gently worked the claws of her right paw under the wire of the net and swiftly pulled back, cutting them clean through. She continued like this, severing each row of wire until he was completely free of it, breathing a sigh of relief when she finished. "Alright, we need to get him inside, but you don't have arms and I'm too heavy to carry him up those steps to the house. They'll likely collapse under my weight. We're gonna need help."

She pulled the Pokéballs off his belt and, not knowing which contained what pokémon, she opened them all, causing Seiza, Inazuma, and Sangoshou to appear before them. "I'm going to make this quick. Valor is unconscious and I think Tamashī was kidnapped by a couple of other human. We need to get him inside, so Inazuma, you're going to help with that. Akatsuki, Seiza, you two should go out and see if you can catch up to the humans who took her, or at the very least figure out where they went. Okay?"

Inazuma, Seiza and Akatsuki all nodded in agreement, but Sangoshou scoffed at her planning. There was clear contempt in the Kingdra's voice when he spoke. "Why should we go after her? All she does is create a distraction for our trainer. He would be far more proficient at battling if not for focusing his attention on her. Besides, give him time and he'll find some other female to play with. In the grand scheme of things, Tamashī simply doesn't mat-"

He was cut off as Kinzoku grabbed him around the neck, gripping him tightly and pulling him up to her eye level. In a deadly quiet voice that was filled with barely controlled anger she said, "Now you listen to me you pompous prick. I don't care what you think of their relationship, they need our help. Valor cares about her. She matters to him. And she's part of our team, which means we care about her too. If you have a problem with that, than tell me right now and I promise I'll make it quick. However, if wish to continue with this pathetic thing you call a life, than you will help us, and you will shut up and keep your comments and prejudices to yourself. Understand?"

His eyes wide with fear, the Dragon-Water Type nodded, causing Kinzoku to drop him roughly to the ground. "Good. Now, Akatsuki, Seiza, get going. We'll deal with things here."

The Volcarona and Staraptor nodded again, then took off to the south, following the road toward Route 117. Kinzoku watched them go, hoping they would find something. "Sso, what sshould I be doing?"

Kinzoku turned back to look at Inazuma, his hissing voice getting her attention. "You're going to carry him into the house. I would, but putting over eight-hundred pounds of weight on wood steps isn't a good idea."

The eel pokémon nodded. "I undersstand. Sshould I just go ahead than?"

"Yes. And take this as well." She handed him Tamashī's Soothe Bell, then said, "Just leave that somewhere he'll find it."

The Electric-type nodded and took the bell, then walked over to, Valor, carefully picked up his still unconscious body, and carried him up the steps and into the house. Kinzoku sighed. "I guess this is just one of those days." She turned back to Sangoshou and, still clearly irritated with him, said, "You go inside as well. Just try to stay out of our way. I'll stay out here to wait for the others to come back."

He hesitated for a moment, but upon seeing the look in Kinzoku's eyes he decided it would be better to do as she said. He hurried inside, leaving her alone in the snow to wait for word from the others.

Akatsuki soared through the sky, Seiza trailing a few meters behind him. Working together they were looking for any possible indicator of where the Pokémon Hunters had taken Tamashī. Their results thus far were less than promising. The snow had covered the Hunters' tracks, and they had a head start of at least a couple hours. And of course, there was no guarantee that they had gone south at all, even if it was likely.

Form behind him Seiza called out, voicing what Akatsuki already knew. "There's no sign of them. We should head back. If I can't see anything with my visual acuity, then we probably won't find anything."

With an inaudible sigh the moth pokémon nodded, then turned to head back, Seiza following not far behind. This was a disaster, he thought. He and Kinzoku had failed to stop the Hunters in the first place, and now he couldn't find them. He couldn't help but feel that he had failed his trainer.

Shaking his head in frustration, he banished those thoughts from his mind. This wasn't the time for placing blame. It wouldn't do any good. They continued their flight back, knowing that Kinzoku wouldn't be happy when she heard the bad news.

Candice walked along the road, headed toward Lake Acuity. Much as she hated to admit it, she had played a rather sizeable role in the previous day's events. Though she and Tamashī had never really gotten along, she knew she needed to make an effort to patch things up, at least so she wouldn't lose Valor as a friend.

Though, the idea of playing nice with Tamashī didn't sound to appealing to her. Ever since she had first met the Lucario Tamashī had seemed cold toward her, something that made no sense. It wasn't as if she had given the Fighting-type any reason to dislike her, at least not that she knew of. But they had been at odds with each other from the moment they met.

With a sigh she looked up, wondering why they had developed that relationship. Her expression turned confused as she saw what looked like Valor's Volcarona and Staraptor flying toward lake Acuity. "What are they doing?" she asked of no one in particular.

Suddenly worried she picked up the pace, almost running toward the lake. A few minutes later she arrived at the house on the shores, very out of breath. When she got there she could see Kinzoku standing outside the house, seeming to have a conversation with Akatsuki and Seiza, and none of them looked very happy. "What's going on? Is Valor alright?"

They turned to look at her, clearly surprised by her sudden appearance. Kinzoku hesitated for a moment, then gestured toward the open door of the house. Candice rushed inside, worried what she might find. She stopped cold upon entering the house. Valor was lying on one of the couches in the room, clearly unconscious. Inazuma was nearby, and Sangoshou was off to one side of the room, avoiding looking toward his trainer.

She walked over to Valor, a look of concern on her face. He was breathing steadily, but he had a bruise on one side of his face and he was shivering slightly. "Alright. I'll take care of him from here. Where are his Pokéballs?"

Inazuma pointed outside. She ran back outside and retrieved the capsules, then returned all of the pokémon to their respective balls. She closed the door to the house, trying to figure out what had caused this. She lit a fire in the fireplace then went to get a blanket from one of the bedrooms. She returned a moment later with a wool blanket, intending to cover Valor to help keep him warm. Arriving back at his side she smirked, trying not to laugh, as she couldn't help but notice that there was a growing bulge in his pants. "Well, you must be alright if you're dreaming about something that could cause that."

With a chuckle she gently placed the blanket over him, wondering who he was dreaming about. She sat on the other couch, her thoughts turning once more to what the question of what was going on. It occurred to her for the first time that she hadn't seen Tamashī for the entire time that she had been at the house. Where was she? Did her not being here to have something to do with this?

It was then that she noticed that Tamashī's Soothe Bell was lying on the small table between the couches. That only confused her more. Where was Tamashī? Why was Valor unconscious? She shook her head, not understanding what was happening. None of it made any sense.

Her attention turned back to Valor as he shifted in his sleep, making a sound that spoke of some sort of pleasure. Candice smiled, finding herself wondering again what was going on in his dreams. "Tamashī."

Candice's eyes went wide in shock. Surely he hadn't just said that. "But…that would mean…" Her mind was reeling. What he just said would indicate that he and Tamashī were…no, he wouldn't do that, she thought. It was wrong, it was unnatural. It…made perfect sense.

Candice leaned back against the couch as the pieces fell into place. Valor always rejecting her, Tamashī's dislike of her. Now it all made sense. The weirdest part though was that, after the initial shock wore off, she found herself quietly accepting what she had been presented with.

She shook her head with a slight smile. "We are going to have a lot to talk about when you wake up Valor.

When Valor's eyes opened his first thought was, how did I get inside? His face hurt, but he couldn't remember why. In fact, he couldn't remember anything from the last few hours-except for a particularly raunchy dream he had just been having about Tamashī.

"Nice to see you're awake. Having a pleasant dream where we?"

Startled by the sound of the voice he turned to see Candice sitting opposite him on the other couch, an impish smile on her lips. "What are you doing here? And what do you mean 'pleasant dream'?"

"I mean the tent you've decided to _erect_ here in the living room."

Catching her meaning he hurried to make sure he was properly covered, drawing a giggle from Candice. "I can't say it's my thing, but I suppose I can understand the attraction. She is rather easy on the eyes."

Valor looked at her in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about you and Tamashī. And since I know you're going to ask how I know about that, you were talking in your sleep. It doesn't take a genius to put the pieces together."

Valor didn't need to look in a mirror to know that his face had turned bright red. Not knowing how to respond he simply said, "Oh."

Struggling to keep from laughing at his embarrassment, she said, "Don't worry, I'm not judging you or anything. I actually think you two make a cute couple. And it certainly explains the way you two have been behaving toward me."

"Yeah, sorry about that. But, you can understand why we couldn't explain anything to you."

She nodded. "I understand. This isn't the sort of thing you just go around telling people. Anyway, I'm the one who should be sorry after how I treated her. Which reminds me, where is Tamashī?"

"Where…is…" He trailed off, trying to remember. Then, in a single instant, the memories rushed back to him. The fight with the Pokémon Hunters. Tamashī being taken. He could remember all of it clearly. He started shaking with anger, then slammed his fist into the upholstery of the couch, venting in the only way he felt he could.

A moment later the anger changer to depression as he realized that he didn't even know what to do about what had happened. With an expression of concern Candice asked, "What's wrong Valor? What happened?"

"What happened? I failed is what happened! Pokémon Hunters came and took her from me. I tried to fight them off, and in my arrogance I thought I could deal with them. I was wrong, very, very wrong. I couldn't protect her, and I wound up unconscious on the ground and she wound up being taken off who knows where."

"Can't you go after them?"

He shook his head. "They would be too far away by this point. I wouldn't be able to follow their trail anymore, and they're probably too far away for me to sense."

"Sense?"

"Yeah. I'm a Guardian of Aura. I can sense Aura, but there is a limit to its range. It varies from person to person, and I can sense things about half a mile away. But that's it. There doesn't seem to be anyway to track them at this point. I couldn't protect her, and now I can't save her either."

"I didn't know you were a Guardian. How come you never told me?"

He sighed sadly. "The existence of Guardians isn't exactly a secret, but we still don't go around just telling people. We prefer to keep our powers hidden unless it becomes necessary to show them."

She nodded understandingly. "I get it. But, back to the issue of the Hunters. Isn't there some way you could track them down? Or, do you know somebody who could help?"

Valor was quiet for a moment. He had already thought of someone who could help, but he was reluctant to get his help. If his dream about Tamashī dying had been some sort of prophetic vision, getting his help could lead to it coming true, a reasonable fear, considering he had been in the dream. Then, he decided that it would be worth the risk, if it meant saving Tamashī. "I…do know one person who might be able to help. If anyone could help me, it would be my friend Galen."

"As in the Pokémon League's World Champion, Galen?"

He nodded. "Yeah. You know him?"

"He's friends with all the Gym Leaders of Sinnoh. Though, I haven't actually seen or talked to him in a while, but still, I have known him for years."

Valor shook his head with a sigh. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Well, why don't you call him? I'm sure he'd be willing to help. He does have a bit of a habit of getting involved in other peoples' problems."

Valor took a deep breath and got up off the couch, knowing that it was the best solution.

Galen stepped outside, an expression of irritation on his face. "We just had to come see her sisters. It's not even about _telling_ them she's pregnant, it's just that she wants to _brag _about being the first one to start a family of her own. It's our engagement all over again! She always has to try to outdo them. And even knowing that I can't stand her sisters, she still insists that I come with her. And why? Because at the end of the day she can't stand them eith-"

His soliloquy was interrupted by a ringing sound from his pocket. With a weary sigh he pulled his Pokégear out of his pocket, wondering who was calling. Without looking to see who it was he pressed the button to accept the call. "Hello?"

A familiar voice issued from the Pokégear's speaker. "Hey, Galen? It's Valor."

Galen blinked in surprise. "Hey kid. What's up? Where are you calling from?"

There was clear stress in Valor's voice, detectable even through the speaker. "I'm…calling from the house at Lake Acuity. You know, the one you gave to me…and Tamashī."

There was a catch in his voice as he said Tamashī's name, prompting Galen to ask, "Valor, what's wrong?"

The communication device was silent for a moment, then Valor began to explain what had happened with Tamashī and the Pokémon Hunters. When he finished recounting the events, he said, "And now I don't know to do or where to go to even start searching for her. I…I need your help."

Galen took a deep breath "Alright, I'll get there as soon as I can. Don't worry Valor, we'll find her."

Valor's voice was filled with a mixture of gratitude and relief as he said, "Thank you Galen. I…I really appreciate it. More than you could ever know."

"Don't mention it kid. I'll see you when I get there."

Valor said goodbye, ending the call. Galen returned his Pokégear to his pocket, and was surprised to find that he had a giddy sort of grin on his face. He ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head in disbelief. Speaking only to himself he asked, "Am I really so bored that the idea of going after Pokémon Hunters excites me? Do I really want to go on another adventure that badly?"

With another shake of his head he added, "Or am I just insane?"

Valor returned the phone to its resting place, then turned and started walking toward his and Tamashī's bedroom. Looking over his shoulder at Candice he said, "Galen said he would get here as soon as he could, so, I guess until then, I'm waiting. Though, I hate the idea of sitting around doing nothing. Not much else I can do, unfortunately. It's getting late, and as you can guess, I would like this day to end, so I'm going to bed. You're welcome to stay the night. There are a couple of empty rooms. Anyway, like I said, I'm going to go to bed."

"Valor, hold on." Candice stood up and grabbed the Soothe Bell off the table. She walked over and handed it to him, saying, "Here. I'm guessing this fell off her when…you know. I think your pokémon probably brought it in when they brought you in to the house. I…figured you would want to know."

He took the bell, his eyes growing sad. He had given it to Tamashī only a few days before, and now she was gone. And it was entirely his fault. "I remember. It came loose right as they were leaving. It just…fell into the snow. Thanks."

He turned and disappeared into the bedroom a moment later, closing the door behind him. Candice hesitated for a moment, then went into one of the other bedrooms, deciding she should stay close by, just in case. She closed the door behind her, and the house came to be filled by a sad, stifling silence.

In his room, Valor dropped onto the bed, having left the Soothe Bell on one of the nightstands. He pulled the covers over himself, and closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep. But try as he might, he couldn't.

Not only was he plagued by images of the day's events playing in his mind, but it was also the first time in over a year that he had been alone in bed. He had become used to his mate being right next to him, or more recently, on top of him. All the empty space felt like just that-a vast empty plain of nothingness. He found himself unable to clear his mind, his own thoughts preying on him, and thus sleep continued to elude him.

"Froslass?"

Valor opened his eyes upon hearing the voice, and was greeted by the sight of Froslass floating in front of him. "Hey Froslass. What's up?"

"Fros Froslass Fros?"

Though he couldn't understand the exact meaning of what she said, he could tell that she was asking after his well-being. "I'm…honestly I'm feeling awful. Worse than I've ever felt, in fact. I feel…empty and broken inside. The worst part is that I can't even do anything, and it's all my fault."

Froslass came close and hugged him, attempting to offer comfort. With a shiver he gently pushed her off saying, "Please don't do that. I appreciate the sentiment, but you're too cold to really be of much comfort. Sorry."

He rolled over, looking away from her as he said, "It's not even just you. I actually don't think much of anything could comfort me right now. I just…need time."

Froslass floated over to the unoccupied side of the bed and dropped down onto the bed, making sure he could see. With a sigh and a small smile he asked, "You're not leaving, are you?"

She shook her head in response, causing him to let out another small sigh. "Alright. You can stay in here. Just don't get too close okay? I'd prefer not to freeze in my sleep-if I can get to sleep that is."

She nodded and laid her head against the pillow, closing he eyes. She's may not be Tamashī, he thought, but at least the bed's not so empty anymore. He closed his eyes as well, and after a while he drifted off to sleep due to sheer exhaustion, his dreams filled with images of his mate.

The next day's dawn cast its light over Sinnoh, revealing all that the dark of night had hidden. At the base of the northern side of Mount Coronet the morning light touched a small campsite, consisting of only two tents and a small fire. Vince and Daniel were seated around the fire, trying to stay warm in the snowy shadow of the twin peaked mountain. "So he's supposed to come here to get her, right?" Daniel asked, pointing toward Vince's tent, where Tamashī was being kept.

Vince nodded, taking a sip from the mug of coffee in his hand. "That's what I was told. He has our coordinates, and he's gonna come here and get the little blue bitch."

"Then we get paid, right?"

"Yes Daniel, then we get paid. Supposedly we're gonna be getting enough money to last for the rest of our lives."

Daniel grinned stupidly at the thought of the money, and Vince let out a small sigh. Not for the first time he found himself wishing he worked with someone who was a bit more intelligent. Even though they worked well together, and always got their jobs done, Vince often found himself irritated by his dim-witted accomplice. He took another sip of his coffee, smiling slightly. At least after this job they wouldn't have to work together anymore, he thought.

Vince set down his mug and stood up, stretching his arms out over his head. "I'm going to go check on our merchandise. You know, make sure she isn't trying to escape or anything."

He walked over to his tent, and opened the flap, stepping inside. He smirked at the sight of Tamashī, fully awake and struggling to break free of the net they had trapped her in the day before. "Well, well. Look who's awake."

She looked up at him and immediately started growling. "You bastard. The moment I get out of this I'm going to rip your throat open!"

The first time he had heard her telepathy the day before it had caught him off guard, but now it just made him grin wickedly. "Is that so? Could such a pretty little thing really do something like that? I don't think you would have the stomach for it. But, I'd rather not take the risk. I think it's time you went back to sleep." He pulled a Pokéball off his belt and said, "Noctowl, use Hypnosis."

The owl pokémon appeared in a flash of light and did as its trainer commanded, using hypnotic suggestion to cause Tamashī to fall asleep instantly. With another smile Vince returned his pokémon to its ball, then turned and exited the tent with a chuckle. It's too bad she's not human he thought, I like that feisty attitude of hers.

After a few hours of waiting they heard the sound of helicopter rotors, the vehicle itself coming into view a minute later. It was small, and white in colour. It landed a few hundred feet away, causing the snow in the area to be blown in every direction. A man in a white suit with long blond hair stepped out of the copter and began walking toward them, a confident smile on his face. Vince and Daniel stood to greet him, hoping that he was the man they were waiting for. Vince spoke first, asking, "Are you Lawrence?"

The man in white stopped a few meters away from them, still wearing that confident smile. "Yes, I am. You are the ones who acquired the Lucario I wanted?"

Daniel nodded and said, "Yeah, she's over in that tent."

"Excellent. I'll be taking her then."

Vince smiled slightly. "She's all yours-just as soon as you pay us."

Lawrence nodded. "Of course. I wouldn't expect you to hand her over without some kind of cost." He reached into one of his pockets and pulled out two coins, then tossed them into the snow in front of the other two men.

Vince's smile faded instantly. "What the hell? Is this some kind of joke?"

"This is no joke. It is your reward for doing the job."

Vince shook his head, clearly irritated. "We were told we would be given enough money to last for the rest of our lives."

Lawrence began laughing, causing Daniel and Vince to look at him in confusion. "But don't you see? That is exactly what I have given you."

"Excuse me?"

With a sadistic smile Lawrence said, "I'm sorry gentlemen-and I use the term loosely-but you are a loose end that has to be tied up. I can't have people around who know what I've done here. So, I'm going to remove a potential threat, namely the two of you."

Vince scoffed. "And what makes you think you can deal with us? You must be insane."

"No, I merely understand that you cannot get ahead in this world without removing a few obstacles along the way. And as for whether or not I can deal with you, well, I will let this answer for me." Lawrence reached into his suit and pulled out an ornate hand gun, levelling it at the other men. "This is goodbye, gentlemen. Thank you for your services."

Tamashī woke with a start when two explosively loud sounds came from nearby. Not really caring what the sounds had been she immediately started trying to free herself from the net wrapped around her body. She didn't really have a particular method for breaking free; she was really just struggling to loosen her bonds a little bit.

As she fought against the wires that were pressing her fur against her skin, she closed her eyes, searching for the Auras of the Pokémon Hunters, intending to keep an eye on them to make sure they weren't coming to "check on her" again. She stopped struggling, confused by what she found. There was no sign of the Auras belonging to the two Pokémon Hunters. Instead there was a single man with a deep purple Aura, an Aura she didn't recognize.

Not knowing what to expect she started fighting even harder against her bonds, desperately trying to get out of them. The tent opened and once again she stopped struggling, immediately recognizing the man who stepped inside. The shock wore off almost immediately, and she began growling, trying to come off as threatening as possible.

Lawrence knelt down beside her, saying, "It would appear as though you remember me. Those Pokémon Hunters did get the right Lucario. So, do I simply call you Lucario, or did your trainer give you a name?"

She chose not to respond with words, only with more growling. Lawrence let out a small sigh. "You know, you don't scare me. You should be nice to me. After all, I get to decide your fate now. And, I'm not above taking the life of another being. Just ask those Pokémon Hunters."

Her eyes went wide as she was shocked into silence. Now the disappearance of the Hunters' Auras made sense. "You…killed them?"

"It was necessary. They could have been used against me."

"You're a monster."

He smiled. "Perhaps, but you'll find that there are plenty of humans who are just as bad, if not worse than, me. But let's get back to my first question. What is your name, if you have one?"

She remained silent, prompting another sigh from Lawrence. "Well, if you won't tell me, I might be able to remember it. I do believe you trainer said it at some point when we first met. Now what was it? Something starting with…t, I think. I remember thinking it was a rather odd, but somehow fitting name." He then smiled, saying, "Ah yes, I do believe it was…Tamashī. Am I right?"

She remained silent, coldly staring back at him. "I suggest you answer me, unless you would like to join those Pokémon Hunters. I would hate to lose such a pretty thing, but if you won't cooperate, well, I might be forced to dispose of you."

Shaking with a mixture of anger and fear she said, "Yes, my name is Tamashī."

Lawrence smile gently. "Now, you see, that wasn't too hard, was it? Well Tamashī, I am your master now, and I expect you to cooperate with me. If you do, you'll find I'm a kind man. I am good to those in my care. But I would recommend you do not give me a reason to be displeased with you, or it will not end well, and I do not wish to harm you."

"If you really don't want to hurt me, then let me go. Let me return to my ma-to my trainer."

Lawrence shook his head in response. "I can't do that. You are mine now, and if I let you return to your mate, I would likely wind up under arrest." Seeing her eyes go wide in surprise he smiled and said, "Come now, don't be so surprised. Between the little slip up you almost just made, and how protective he was of you in Lilycove, it's rather clear what there was between you two. So of course you know that if I were to let you go, and I wound up under arrest, I would most certainly turn in the two of you as well. In fact, if you ever try to escape, than I will go ahead and turn him in anyway. So, do you think you can be a good little pokémon and cooperate with me?"

Seeing no way out, and seething with anger she nodded, hating herself for submitting to him. "Good. Now, we need to be going." He pulled a black circlet of metal from his pocket and snapped it onto her neck. "This collar is a safety precaution. It makes it so that you cannot use your attacks, and I feel it would only be fair to warn you that it also functions as a shock collar. Do yourself a favour and don't give me a reason to use it, okay?"

She nodded once more, still sick over having to do as he said. He set to work getting the net off her, and a moment later she was free-or at least free of the net. I seem to have traded one form of captivity for another, she thought.

"Alright, come along. I'm sure the pilot of my helicopter is growing tired of waiting." She reluctantly followed behind him, avoiding looking at the bodies of the Hunters as they walked toward the copter. The only real thought in her mind as she unwillingly stepped into the vehicle, was that if she made it out of this alive to see Valor again, it would be a miracle.

At around midday there came a knock at the front door of the house. Opening it, Valor was surprised to see Galen standing there, waiting to be admitted. "How did you get here so quickly?"

Galen stepped inside, pushing past Valor into what was once his house. "I have methods of travel that allow me to get around quickly, though it's rather inconvenient to use them regularly. Hello Candice, what are you doing here?"

Candice smiled in response to the greeting. "Uh, hi Galen. I'm here keeping Valor company."

Galen sat down on one the couches, his arms crossed. "I see. Our little Valor does need comfort at a time like this, doesn't he? But, then, should we really be comforting him over something that was his fault in the first place?"

Valor bowed his head in shame, but Candice was not so submissive. "How could you say something like that? Wouldn't you want a little comforting if you were in his position?"

"The difference Candice, is that I wouldn't have screwed up so badly."

"Did you just come here to insult him? To make him feel worse? Because if so, than you should just leave now!"

Galen shook his head. "Somebody needs to tell him the truth. The fact of the matter is that he screwed up. In all likelihood, he won't ever see Tamashī again, and he has no one to blame but himself."

"You fucking asshole! Why are you treating him like-"

"Candice stop."

She looked at Valor in confusion. "Why?"

Valor took a deep breath. "Because he's right. It is all my fault. I screwed up. If I hadn't been so damn cocky, if I hadn't overestimated my own abilities, Tamashī wouldn't have been taken." He paused, the redirected his attention to Galen, a look of absolute conviction on his face. "I know the chances aren't good, but I still can't just leave her. I love her too much to do that. So, whether you're going to help me or not, I'm going after her. No matter what happens, I promised her that I would always protect her, and since I couldn't do that, I have to going to save her, even at the risk of my own life!"

The room was quiet for a moment, the Galen burst out laughing, drawing looks of confusion from the other two. Wiping a tear from his eye Galen said, "Damn kid, I was hoping I would get a reaction like that, but that was even more than I was hoping for."

Valor stared in shock. "You mean…everything you just said…was some kind of test?!"

Galen nodded, his usual confident smile back in place. "Yeah, sorry about that. I had to make sure you were willing to put your life on the line for this. It's not that I really doubted it, but I still wanted to be sure." Becoming suddenly very serious he added, "Because it's very likely that your life will be in danger at some point."

Shaking with anger Candice walked up to Galen and swiftly slapped him across the face. Rubbing his face he asked, "Was that really necessary?"

With a look of contempt Candice crossed her arms and simply said, "Yes, it was."

Rubbing the back of his head Galen sighed, then said, "Alright, maybe I deserved that, but still, you didn't have to hit so hard.

"Um, no to sound narcissistic, but can we get back to my problem?" Valor asked.

Galen grinned sheepishly. "Sorry. You're right. We have more important things to worry about. So kid, we need to do some-" he stopped mid-sentence, a look of concern on his face. "How long have I been here for?"

Valor looked at him in confusion. "Uh, a few minutes. Why?"

"Oh. Crap. Uh, Valor, I would run if I were you."

"Why?"

"Because-"

Galen was cut off by a flash of light coming from under his jacket. Riley appeared in the room, a look of absolute rage on his face. "Alright, where is the little bastard?! I'll fucking kill him!"

Galen grabbed the scruff of his Lucario's neck, resulting in the rather amusing sight of an enraged fighting type struggling to rush toward Valor while being held in place by his trainer. "Dammit Galen let me go!"

Galen sighed, slightly embarrassed by his pokémon's behaviour. "Riley, you can't kill him. Calm down."

"I will not! Because of him my daughter is in the hands of Pokémon Hunters-or worse!"

"Riley, Isaid calm down." Then with a slightly sadistic smile he added, "Or do I need to get Clara out here?"

Riley instantly stopped struggling, a look of fear in his eyes. "Alright, I'll be good."

Fighting the urge to laugh, Valor asked, "Who is Clara, exactly?"

Galen smirked. "My Espeon. She has a habit of smacking Riley around-a lot. A fact which embarrasses him greatly."

"Just shut up and put me back in my Pokéball!"

"As you wish." Galen pulled out the Lucario's Pokéball and returned him to it, then stood up, stretching as he did. "Alright, now that that's taken care of, we should get going."

Breaking her self-imposed silence Candice asked, "So, you're just going to leave right now?"

Galen nodded. "The sooner we get moving the better. Those Hunters already have a one day lead. They don't need any more."

"Actually Candice, if you like you could stay here in the house. You know, keep an eye on things until I get back."

Candice sighed with a sad smile. "Oh, fine. Just don't go getting yourself killed, okay?"

Valor nodded. "I'll be careful. Oh, uh, Galen, wait for a minute would you? I need to get something."

Valor quickly went to his bedroom, then returned a moment later with Tamashī's Soothe Bell tied around his neck. "Alright, we can go now."

Already waiting by the door, Galen smirked. "Uh, care to explain the bell?"

Reaching up to gently touch the bell he said, "It's Tamashī's. I got it for her as a gift, but it came off when the Hunters took her. I figure I should keep it with me so I can-"

Galen held up a hand to stop him. "Say no more. I understand. Alright then, let's go."

He turned and walked out the door, Valor not far behind. Valor stopped in the doorway and looked over his shoulder at Candice. "See ya Candice. I'll try to get back as soon as possible. After all, I wouldn't want you getting bored without me around."

Candice shook her head with a smile. "Get going, and don't come back without your mate. Good luck."

"Thanks."

He stepped out the door to join Galen, who was waiting less than patiently at the bottom of the stairs. "You all ready to go kid?"

Valor nodded. "Yeah, I am."

Valor walked down the steps then stopped. "Hey I just realized, where's Luxor? He's usually right next to you."

Galen yawned, saying, "I left him with my wife. I figure we can travel faster with just two of us."

"Couldn't you just put him in his Pokéball?"

"No, he hates that thing. He wouldn't put up with being stuck in there all day."

Valor nodded understandingly as they began walking down the path to Route 217. In the past year or so Tamashī had become the same way. Just threatening to put her in her ball had an effect. The thought of it made him smile, as well as reminding him where his focus needed to be. "So, where are we-"

He was stopped short as he smacked into something floating in the middle of the path, knocking him to the ground. As he hit the ground Froslass became visible, holding her head in pain. Looking up at the ghost pokémon Valor asked, "Froslass, what are you doing?"

Galen gave him a quizzical look. "You know this Froslass?"

Getting to his feet Valor nodded. "Yeah. She's been living in the attic of the house. She was here when Tamashī and I moved in. Anyway, you okay Froslass?"

The Ice-type nodded, still looking a little woozy from the impact. Valor breathed a small sigh of relief. "Well, that's good, but what are you doing out here?"

"Fros, Froslass lass Froslass, Froslass lass Froslass."

"Uh, I'm sorry, but I don't understand."

Galen chose that moment to chime in. "She wants to come with you."

"How do you know that?"

"Just trust me. I can tell."

Turning back to Froslass Valor asked, "Is that right? You want to come with me?"

She nodded in response, confirming what Galen had said. "Look, I appreciate it Froslass, but I think it's better if you stay here, okay?"

She didn't look too happy about the idea, but she nodded just the same. Smiling softly, Valor said, "Don't worry. I'll get Tamashī back and we'll both be back soon. You won't have to wait for long."

Looking a little happier she moved forward to hug him, but stopped, remembering how her previous hugs had been received. With a sigh and a smile Valor said, "Alright, just make it quick."

Without hesitation she rushed forward, wrapping her small arms as far around him as she could. She backed off only a few seconds later, knowing he wouldn't be able to take it for long. Then, with clear reluctance she flew off back to the house, looking back to wave goodbye before she disappeared through the wall of the building.

"She means well, but she is really cold to the touch." Valor said with a slightly exhausted smile.

"She loves you, you know."

Valor blinked in surprise at Galen's comment. "Who? Froslass? Are you sure?"

Galen nodded with a knowing smile. "I'm sure. But, there are more important things going on. Let's go."

He turned and continued down the path. Valor took one final look back at the house, then turned to catch up with Galen. "So, before that happened, I was going to ask where it is we're going."

"Well, I don't know where to start looking myself, but I do know a guy who may be able to help."

"Really? Where do we find him?"

Galen let out a sigh. "Well, if he's in Sinnoh right now, than we can find him in Veilstone City."

"And, if he's not in Sinnoh right now?"

"Then we're on our own, and this will be even more difficult. Of course, there is no guarantee that he can help, but it's still worth a shot."

Valor nodded. "So, Veilstone City then. Right, let's go."

He picked up his pace, forcing Galen to match his stride to keep up.

_I'm coming to get you Tamashī. I promise I'll save you, no matter what._


	13. Chapter 10: Lessons

After a few days of traveling south Galen and Valor arrived in Veilstone City. Though he knew they were there to look for a lead to Tamashī, being in the old stone city caused Valor to feel a new wave of sadness. The reason for his sadness was simple: it had been in Veilstone that he had purchased Tamashī's Soothe Bell. The memory of that day only served to remind him of how bad a turn their lives had taken, and it only made him feel worse to think of what his mate must be going through while he searched for her.

Galen was leading the way through the city, Valor following behind. Though he knew the older man clearly knew where he was going, Valor felt compelled to ask, "So, where is it you hope to find this friend of yours?"

Galen looked back over his shoulder, flashing a victorious smile. "Not hoping to find, found. I've already found his Aura right where I thought it would be: at the Veilstone Game Corner."

Valor gulped in concern. "Wait, this guy isn't some compulsive gambler, is he? Or, some kind of mob boss or something?"

Galen chuckled at the question. "What kind of people do you think I associate with? Don't worry, he's not a criminal. However, he is a little…odd. Also, I would make very sure that you don't even accidentally hint at your relationship with Tamashī. A mistake like that in front of him could be very costly."

Valor was still concerned about meeting with Galen's friend, but now for a different reason. "How costly?"

"He's a member of the International Police. That's how costly."

"Is it's that risky, then maybe we should try something else."

Galen shook his head at the suggestion. "This is our best option. But, if you have a better idea I'll gladly hear it."

When Valor remained silent Galen said, "Don't worry. Just be careful and watch what you say. It'll be fine."

Still not convinced, Valor begrudgingly agreed, silently hoping that Galen was right about this course of action. Having come in from the north side of town it took them another few minutes of walking to reach their destination. The Veilstone Game Corner was a small building, the outside decorated with flashing lights and bright colours. Galen led the way, stepping through the door and into a world dominated by flashing displays and a multitude of sounds proclaiming both victory and defeat. Valor had never been inside a place like it, mainly because he had discovered when he was young that he was terrible at games of chance.

"Come on kid. He's sitting at a slot machine in the back row."

Galen set off through the sea of electronic gaming machines, headed straight for the back of the building. There were relatively few people present at the machines, which Valor thought made sense, considering that it was still pretty early in the day. They reached the last row of slot machines, and Valor was surprised to see only one other person there, a man with black hair who was wearing a brown coat, his eyes intently fixed on the screen in front of him.

Without a word to Valor, Galen walked up behind the man, tapped him on the shoulder and asked, "Think you could give a moment of your busy schedule to an old friend?"

"My streak, it is broken! Why did you interrupt-" The man's expression changed as he looked at who had disturbed him, becoming a smile of recognition. "You are lucky it is you, or I might not be forgiving for this."

Galen chuckled slightly. "Hey Looker, how've ya been?"

Looker stood up from his machine, his game forgotten by the sudden meeting. "I have been well. And you, old friend?"

"I can't really complain, although I will admit my life has gotten a little dull in the last few years. But, I've got a kid on the way, so that's a new adventure in and of itself."

"Really? Well, I give you my congratulations." Noticing Valor for the first time, Looker asked, "Who is this you have brought with you?"

Galen's own smile vanished as he was reminded why they were there. "This is my friend Valor. He has encountered a problem I was hoping you might be able to help with."

Looker nodded. "For you, I will always offer help if it is possible. However, let us leave here. It is rather noisy, and not good for a conversation of importance."

Galen nodded in agreement. "Let's head to the Pokémon Center. We should be able to find some peace and quiet there."

The three of them left, making their way back through the maze of lights and sounds. After a short walk through the city they arrived at the Center, and quickly sought out a quiet place to continue with their conversation. They wound up sitting at a smallish table, Valor and Galen on one side of it, and Looker sitting opposite them on the other. "So my friend, this problem you said your friend was having, what is it?"

"It's Valor's problem. I'll let him explain."

Slightly apprehensive, Valor began explaining, keeping in mind what Galen had told about being careful of what he said. As he explained Looker sat there in silence, listening intently. Valor let out a slow breath when he finished, trying to remain calm, and not break down from emotion. Even though it had been a few days, the emotional wounds still felt fresh.

Looker sat back in his chair, his arms folded across his chest. "This is indeed an unfortunate situation, and surely it has been hard on you, but what is it you expect of me?"

Recognizing that Valor was struggling to maintain his composure, Galen retook control of the conversation, saying, "We were hoping you might be able to help us find the Pokémon Hunters in question. We don't really know where to start looking. I thought that, being a member of the International Police, you could provide so assistance with that."

Looker sadly shook his head. "I apologise, my friend, and to you too Valor, but I do not think I can help with this. If we of the International Police aren't already aware of them, then we wouldn't know where to find them."

"So there's nothing you can do?"

"Well, if their names were known to me, I could put out a warrant for their arrest. But that is all I'm afraid I can do."

Valor spoke again, his voice coming out a bit shaky. "I think…their names were…Vince…and Daniel."

As soon as the words left Valor's mouth Looker's eye went wide in surprise, causing Galen to look at his suspiciously. "Looker, do you know something?"

Looker gulped, clearly and suddenly uneasy. "These two Hunters, was one tall and thickly built? And the other, he was shorter, and slimmer, yes?"

Valor nodded, wondering where he was going with this. Looker shook his head and, after moment of silence he said, "I must apologise once more to you both. I had not made the connection. A couple days ago, two bodies were recovered from an area just north of Mount Coronet. Their identities, they were two wanted Pokémon Hunters, and their names, they were Vince and Daniel. They had been killed by gun shots to their heads. There was also evidence that recently they had some form of prisoner, your Lucario, most likely."

Valor sat there in silent shock, not believing what he had just heard. Now there was no way of even knowing who Tamashī was with, or where she was. They had lost their only possible source of information.

Galen's shock was not quite so silent. "Dammit. This just makes things even worse. Well, thanks anyway Looker, but it looks like you really can't help us. Unless of course you have any clue as to who the killer was?"

"No. I'm sorry, I don't. I wish to help, but, I know nothing else. However, I can put out an alert, tell people to be on the lookout for a Lucario matching the description of yours, Valor."

Valor nodded silently, wishing he could be anyone else at that moment. Looker gave a final apology, then bid them farewell, leaving them to ponder their next move.

Galen sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Now we're back to square one. Valor, do you know anything-_anything_-else that could provide us with a hint, or an idea. Maybe, a clue as to the identity of who would want Tamashī. I think it's rather clear that those Hunters were double crossed by the person who wanted to buy her. Have you met anyone who showed excessive interest in her?"

Valor was silent for a moment, then the memory came to him. "Well, when we were in Lilycove, Tamashī and I competed in a Pokémon Contest. We lost in the final round-or rather had to forfeit-and while we were back stage afterward, we were approached by a man…who said he was a collector of rare and beautiful pokémon. He offered to buy Tamashī, and naturally I turned him down. After all, how could I sell her? I thought that was the end of it, but maybe I was wrong."

Galen nodded. "Did you happen to get his name? That could be helpful. We could track him down and find out if he's involved."

"Uh…I think he said his name was Lawrence."

"Fuck!"

Valor blinked in surprise at the outburst. "What? Do you know the guy or something?"

"This Lawrence, did he have long blond hair and green eyes? Maybe two inches taller than me, probably wearing a white suit?"

Valor nodded. "You just described him exactly."

Galen sat back in his chair, shaking his head in disbelief. "Well kid, the good news is I know where we can find her. The bad news is, it would be far too dangerous to retrieve her as we are now."

"Hold on, are you sure you know where to find her? I mean, you're sure he's the one behind it?"

Galen nodded in confirmation. "I'm positive. I've dealt with the bastard before, and I warned him last time that if I found out he was involved in illegal dealings again, then I would be coming after him. He has a large estate in the Kanto Region. That's where we'll find Tamashī."

Valor stood up, smiling. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

"Didn't you hear me? It's too dangerous to go as we are now. Or rather, it's too dangerous for you to go."

"How so?"

Galen took a deep breath. "Look, this guy won't bother challenging you to a pokémon battle. He will pull out a gun and kill you, just like he must have done to those Hunters. I should know. I have a scar on my left shoulder to prove how trigger happy the bastard is."

"I still don't get what the problem is. Can't we just protect ourselves with Aura shields?"

Galen shook his head. "No. A normal Aura shield would just shatter under that kind of force in such a focused area. Bullets are one of the few things that a normal Aura shield simply _can't_ stop. With how much money Lawrence has-and believe me, it's a lot-he can afford to have a small army of armed guards, each one with a fire arm of their own. If it was just me, I could handle it. But since it's both of us, and I can't realistically protect both of us completely, I'm going to have to teach you how to create an Aura shield that _can_ block bullets."

A crestfallen look on his face, Valor asked, "How long will that take?"

Galen shook his head in response. "I don't really know. When I developed the technique it took me about two months to get it right. I've never taught it to someone else, but since I know how it works, it all depends on how fast you can learn it. It could take three days, it could take three weeks. I just don't know."

Shaking with frustration, Valor asked, "So, you expect me to go into training for an unknown amount of time, while my mate is being held prisoner by some psychopath who could kill her any moment? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME?"

"Valor, calm down. We know where to find her, but that's useless if you get yourself killed in the process of saving her. It wouldn't do you or her any good. And, Lawrence isn't the type who would just get rid of something he sees as valuable. As long as he thinks she's worth something, she'll be safe. So, just give me the time, and I can drastically increase your odds of surviving when we go to get her."

Valor nodded reluctantly. "Fine. I'll go along with this." Then, staring unblinkingly into Galen's eyes he said, "But I'll warn you right now, if you are wrong, and she is hurt-or worse-when we get her back, then I'm going to make sure Lawrence suffers, and then I'm coming after you."

Knowing that Valor wasn't in any way kidding, Galen nodded in response. "If that's what you feel you need to do kid. But for now, we should get moving. We have a lot of work to do before we make any kind of rescue attempt."

Galen stood up and led the way out of the Pokémon Center, Valor following behind him. Despite the threat he had just made, Valor found himself desperately hoping that Galen was right.

Another day of traveling found Galen and Valor walking down a path in one of Sinnoh's forests, the sun shining through the leaves, creating a cascade of emerald light. They reached their destination, coming out from under the verdant canopy to step into a clearing that was all too familiar to them both. Their travels had returned them to the very place where, almost two years ago, Galen had first instructed Valor as a Guardian of Aura.

The clearing was large, and there was a river flowing nearby. There was no evidence anywhere of human presence. Here, there was a sense of tranquillity that only nature could create. Valor couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia at being in this place once more. It seemed like the time spent here had been a life time ago. So much had happened since then, and so much had changed. "So Galen, why did we come here?"

Galen set his back pack down against one of the trees at the edge of the clearing, then turned to face Valor. "Tradition I guess. This is where I was trained. This is where I trained you the first time. I thought it made sense to come here again."

Valor nodded. "It does. So, when do we get started?"

"We have a few hours left until sunset, so, we start right now." Galen pointed to an area over by the river and said, "Your first lesson starts with this. You are to sit there by the river and meditate."

"What purpose does that serve?" Valor asked, not understanding.

"The purpose is for you to learn to focus. You are to sit there and concentrate on your meditation. When you have that down, we start with teaching you some new stuff."

"I still don't understand." Valor said with a shake of his head.

"You don't have to understand. Not yet. Just do it."

Hoping that this whole thing wasn't just a waste of time, Valor went and sat down where Galen had indicated. He closed his eyes, opening his senses to see the Aura of his surroundings. All of the life in the area thrummed with latent energy. Everything seemed to glow with light.

Valor had always found it fascinating that only people and pokémon glowed in different colours, whereas plants and the earth itself simply glowed with a soft white light. Then of course there were things made by humans, which always appeared black or dark grey.

But right at that moment, white was most prevalent to Valor. Mixed in with it where the Auras of the various pokémon living in the forest, a rainbow of hues and shades against the stark whiteness of the forest's own Aura. Perhaps the brightest thing Valor could see though was Galen's Aura, the bright, fiery red colour clearly standing out against everything else.

Based on what he could see, it appeared to Valor as though Galen was observing him. Valor gulped nervously, trying not to focus on Galen. After a minute the other man turned away, walking out into the middle of the clearing.

Valor continued watching Galen's Aura with curiosity, trying to discern what he was doing. After a few seconds another strip of red Aura appeared in Valor's field of vision. For some reason, Galen had created an Aura shield at the far end of the clearing. Galen then took a firing stance, and from what Valor could tell, he started charging an Aura Sphere, clearly intent on firing it toward the shield.

The last thing that Valor saw was as ball of energy fly toward the shield at an incredibly high speed. It smashed into the shield, shattering it with an explosive smashing sound, sending out a small gust of wind in every direction.

Shocked by the effect of the impact Valor's eyes snapped open. "Galen, what the hell are you doing?"

Galen shrugged. "It's been a while since I've actually fought using my Aura, so I'm a bit out of practice. I figured while you're doing that, I would get in some training of my own."

Valor looked at him in disbelief. "And, you expect me to concentrate on meditation while _you _are setting off small explosions?"

"That's exactly what I expect you to do. Now get to it."

With a defeated sigh Valor closed his eyes again, stretching out his senses once more. Over the course of the next few hours Valor found his focus consistently broken by Galen, something that only served to frustrate him, making it all the more difficult to focus.

That night as they sat around the small fire that Galen had lit in-between the two tents that he had also put up near the edge of the clearing, Valor made no attempts to hide his frustration. "So really, what was the point of today just to waste time?"

Galen gave a disappointed sigh. "No, it wasn't. And you are going to keep doing what you did today until you can maintain your focus, no matter what I-or anyone else-may be doing."

Valor was tempted to argue against that, but he decided that it wouldn't be worth the effort. Whenever Galen decided on something it was impossible to argue with him.

They were up at dawn the next morning, and after a quick breakfast, they picked up where they had left off the previous day. Galen had shifted his pattern of training when he started his practicing, and now instead of just firing an Aura sphere at the shields he created he would first fire three quick blasts of Aura to weaken the shields, then he would fire an Aura sphere to shatter them.

By midday Valor had become rather familiar with the pattern of attacks, but still found it impossible to focus on anything else. Then, a thought came to him, a little idea that brought a small smile to his lips. Instead of fighting against the distractions, Valor took a deep breath, and allowed himself to focus on the rhythm of the attacks.

Suddenly focus came easily, and he was able to broaden his senses to encompass not only the clearing, but he found himself able to see everything within a half mile radius of where he was. A few minutes later Valor found his focus broken again, but this time not because of Galen's practicing, but instead because the other man suddenly stopped, standing perfectly still. "Well kid, you honestly got that faster than I expected."

Valor opened his eyes, his expression one of confusion. "What do you mean?"

With a smile Galen said, "The purpose of that training was to teach you to look for patterns in things. When you're in a fight, focus and understanding can save your life. If you can focus your mind on a consistent pattern-even something as simple as the pattern of your own breathing-then you can maintain your focus and composure, which will increase your chances of survival. This is especially important when creating an Aura shield that can block projectiles like bullets."

Valor's expression turned a bit sheepish as Galen gave his explanation. "Well, I kind of feel like an idiot for getting so frustrated with all that. I feel like that was kind of obvious."

Galen shrugged. "Hindsight is twenty-twenty. And like I said, you got that faster than I thought you would. Now, before I start teaching you any new stuff, I feel we should do a little review of the basics first."

Galen walked over and sat down in front of Valor in a cross legged position. "So, question one: what is Aura?"

Valor blinked in surprise at being asked such a basic question. "Uh…it's the energy of the universe that exists in all natural things and is produced by living things."

Galen nodded approvingly. "Essentially correct. Now, what are the seven different colours of Aura that can be seen in people and pokémon?"

Valor thought for a moment, then said, "Red, blue, yellow, green, pink, purple and orange."

"Very good. Now, what does each colour represent?"

"Uh…well…red is uh, anger…and uh…yellow is uh…I…don't remember any of the rest. Sorry."

Galen shook his head. "Don't apologise. You're here to fill in the gaps in your knowledge. Each colour of Aura draws its power from a different emotion or state of mind. A red Aura, like mine, can draw its power from either deep, passionate love, or from righteous fury. Blue Aura's power can come from serenity or depression. Yellow's power is fuelled by either happiness or fear. Green Aura, like yours, can draw its strength from one of three sources: courage, envy, or a deep bond of unwavering love. Pink's powers come from either love in its simplest form, or from obsession, and there is an unfortunately fine line between the two. Then purple and orange are the least complicated of the seven. Purple is powered by pride, and orange's strength comes from compassion."

Valor nodded. "Alright, I think I've got it. It seems like a lot of them get their power from love."

Galen nodded. "That's because love is very powerful, and is a great source of inspiration for many people."

Valor gave an understanding nod in response. "Now I have a question. When I fought Faerin in Lilycove City, his Aura had changed from yellow to black. So, what is black Aura then?"

Galen was quiet for a moment, then said, "Tell you what, let's focus on you training for now, and I'll explain that to you later after we've finished today's lessons. That is a subject that will wind up turning into a history lesson."

Valor nodded reluctantly, then said, "So where do we start?"

"First, one final question: what is an Aura shield? And don't say 'a shield made of Aura'."

"Well…it's a Guardians first line of defence in a fight, and it's basically a solid wall of Aura designed to absorb impacts."

"You're exactly right, and that's the problem."

Valor tilted his head to one side, not understanding Galen's response. "Wait, it's a problem that I'm right?"

Galen shook his head with a laugh. "No. The problem is that a normal Aura shield is rigid, inflexible. When a bullet, which packs an enormous amount of force into a very concentrated space, hits that rigid wall, it's like it's hitting glass. The shield simply shatters. Now, any force that's strong enough can shatter an Aura shield, but as long as you pour more power into the shield it can withstand the impact. However, that's not the case when it comes to blocking bullets. When doing that, there is a totally different set of rules. In that case, funnelling more power into the shields you create will only serve to tire you out. Instead what you have to do, is vary the amount of energy you put into the shield."

Valor shook his head, not understanding. "What does that mean?"

"It means that every second you have to be able to unconsciously alter how much energy is flowing into your shield. Sometimes more energy, sometimes less energy, but never the same amount for more than a second or two. That creates ripples in the shield's energy flow that gives it flexibility. And when you can do that, then bullets are no longer a problem. So, first, I want you to create a normal Aura shield."

They both stood up and Valor did as Galen instructed, creating an emerald wall of energy a few meters away. Galen then brought up his left hand, his palm facing toward Valor's newly created barrier. An incredibly small Aura sphere, no larger than a small marble, appeared just above the surface of Galen's palm. "This is a highly focused Aura sphere. This is how we will test the shields you create as your training progresses. Now, I want you to pour as much power as you can into that shield for the next few seconds."

Valor nodded, and after a few seconds the small Aura sphere left Galen's hand at a high speed with a sound that was not dissimilar to that of a gunshot. Almost as soon as it was fired it collided with Valor's shield, shattering it completely.

Valor stared for a moment, awestruck. "Damn."

"That was to show what a bullet would do to an ordinary shield. Now, this time, continue to feed energy into the shield, even after I fire, but this time, try to change how much energy you are putting into it from moment to moment-second to second if you can."

And just like that, Valor's true training had begun.

In the failing light Valor sat beside their camp fire, exhausted by his first day of actual training. Galen sat on the opposite side of the fire, looking a bit tired out himself. "Well kid, if you keep progressing at your current pace, we should only be here for maybe another week or two."

"You still think it will take that long?"

Galen nodded. "This isn't going to be an over night thing, but we can certainly make it go by at a relatively quick pace."

Valor let out a defeated sigh, wishing that it would go faster, if only for Tamashī's sake. "Alright. I guess I don't really have much choice, do I?"

"That's not true. You could get up and walk away right now. But you and I both know that abandoning this training would be tantamount to abandoning Tamashī, and we also both know that you wouldn't do that under any circumstance."

"That's why I say I don't have a choice. I couldn't abandon her. It would break my heart, and more importantly it would break hers." They then both fell silent by unspoken consent, neither wishing to take the topic any further.

After a few minutes, a thought occurred to Valor. "Oh yeah, I just remembered. You said earlier that when we were done with training for the day that you would explain how black Aura fits in with the other colours."

Galen ran a hand through his hair, a small smile appearing on his face. "I guess I did, didn't I? So then, a lesson in history and genealogy."

Valor blinked in confusion. "Genealogy?"

"Yep. This explanation relates to our ancestors."

"_Our _ancestors?"

"Correct again. You and I are very distantly related Valor. But, let me explain and everything will become clear in time."

Valor nodded, now even more interested in hearing what Galen was going to tell him. The older man took a deep breath, then began speaking. "Aura has naturally been around since there has been a universe. However, people haven't always been able to see and control it. In fact, the only two species we know of that naturally have that ability without any training are the Riolus and the Lucarios. Several millennia ago, there was a war in the Unova Region fought between those who sought truth and those who wanted to create an ideal world. History isn't clear as to who won that war, but many who were on the losing side left the Unova Region. Now, there were two people who lived in Unova during this time-two brothers. One of them had a pure white Aura, and the other had a pitch black Aura. Like many others in Unova they were separated by their beliefs, and wound up fighting against each other on opposite sides."

Valor interrupted, asking, "So, the one with white was good and the one with black was evil?"

Galen shook his head. "Not at all. You see, a white Aura represents life and nature, while originally black was said to represent death-which, despite what many think is not actually evil, but merely the logical conclusion to life-and progress toward one's ideals. They were not good and evil or light and dark, they were merely the two forces that define the world. Now the elder brother, who had the white Aura, wound up on the losing side, and left Unova, eventually settling in Sinnoh."

"So hold on, how did black Aura become what it is now? I mean, when I fought Faerin he seemed to have been consumed by darkness and well, evil."

"I'm getting there. Just be patient. So, when he arrived in the Sinnoh Region, the elder brother encountered Lucarios for the first time, and it was from them that he learned to control Aura, and that man is known today as the First Guardian. Now his younger brother, through some unknown means, also learned to control Aura. However, as that knowledge was passed on to new generations by the younger brother its purpose and meaning became corrupted, and it became what you saw when you fought Faerin. Black Aura is really no more or less than a force that has lost its way through the perversion of its power."

Valor nodded. "Alright, I guess that all makes sense. So now, how does us being related fit into this?"

"Well, though the elder brother was the First Guardian, he did not actually create the Order of Guardians. Instead it was his seven children-all of whom he taught to control Aura-who formed the order."

"He had _seven _children?" Valor asked, not really believing that number was accurate.

Galen gave an amused laugh, then continued. "That wasn't so uncommon in those days. Not only that, but each child of his had a different colour of Aura, all of them possessing the purest form of their colours. His eldest son-and eldest child-had a fiery red Aura. The next child, also a son, possessed a shining yellow Aura. The third son had a deep blue Aura, like the colour of the open ocean. The fourth child was the first daughter, and she had an Aura as pink as the petals of a Gracedia Flower. The next one after her was another son with a royal purple Aura. The sixth child, who was the First Guardian's fifth son, had an Aura that was the same orange as leaves in autumn. His final child was also his second daughter, and she had an Aura of emerald green. For the most part, there are no descendants of these children. However, there are four exceptions. I am the only living descendant of the eldest son. There are also three descendants of the younger daughter. There is, of course, you, and there is also your mother and her older sister."

"Wait, hold on. I have an aunt?"

Galen nodded. "Yeah. I'm not surprised you don't know that. She and you mother haven't spoken in years. They had some kind of falling out before you were even born."

"Okay then, how is it that you know about this?" Valor asked, trying to make sense of everything he was hearing.

"It's really quite simple. Your aunt, whose name is Sarina, is one of the six members of the Guardian Council of Elders. I know about their lack of contact because I've spoken with her about it."

"Oh. Well…I…did not know that." Valor said weakly, not quite sure what to make of that. "But, I'm wondering, why did you do all the research that lead to you finding this stuff out?"

Galen shrugged. "Well, I've had a lot of free time for the last five years or so. That, and I've always have had an interest in history and ruins and the like, so I passed the time by looking into my own family history. In the process I inadvertently wound up finding out about yours."

"Oh, okay then. That makes sense. Well, it does for you anyway." Valor surprised himself at that moment with a yawn, and it was then that it occurred to him how late it had become.

"Well, it sounds like you're as tired as I am, if not more so. I think we should call it a night. After all, it won't help your training if you can't stay awake tomorrow."

Valor nodded in agreement, and they both retired to their respective tents a few minutes later. As Valor fell asleep, he found himself even more determined to get Tamashī back so that he could share everything he had just learned with her. But even with that in mind, more than anything else, he just wanted to see her again.

The next two weeks passed at a pace that Valor found painfully slow. Even putting in his best effort he had found it difficult to make progress. But after all that effort, he had finally reached a point where Galen believed they were ready to go after Tamashī. Galen's opinions aside, Valor himself felt that he had definitely become stronger in what time they had spent training. Now the primary thought in his mind was rescuing Tamashī.

After leaving their training grounds the two of them spent a day traveling south to Pastoria city, where they boarded a ship bound for the Kanto Region. As they travelled Galen continued to have Valor practice to keep up his newly acquired skills. To Valor though it was just a way to kill time until they could get to where Galen believed Tamashī would be.

On the second day after leaving Sinnoh their ship docked in Vermillion City. From there Galen and Valor went north to Saffron City, then west to Celadon City. According to Galen they were headed for an estate owned by Lawrence that could be found west of Celadon. Each day that passed Valor felt more anxious, hoping not only that Galen was right about where they would find Tamashī, but also hoping that she was alright, or at least as alright as the victim of a kidnapping could be.

Valor had also noticed that Galen seemed tense as well, his usual personality seeming to have been replaced by that of someone more serious than the Galen that Valor was familiar with. When he asked Galen about it, the older man had brushed off the question, leaving Valor concerned about what was going on in his friend's head.

When they were about half a mile from where Galen said Lawrence's estate was, he stopped, and began setting up camp, much to Valor's dismay. "We're so close. Why are you stopping now?!"

"Because it is late in the day. We should take the time to rest now so that we are fully prepared to go in and get Tamashī. Being tired out won't help us."

Valor stared in disbelief. "You can't be serious! She has been in his hands for almost a month, and you want me to wait around even longer?!"

Galen turned to face Valor, a very dark expression colouring his features. "That's exactly what I want. I refuse to take any unnecessary risks. So, we wait. And you will wait whether you like it or not."

Valor's eyes narrowed. "Galen, what are you-you of all people-afraid of?"

"What am I afraid of? You really want to know?" Galen walked over to Valor stopping only a foot away. He then pushed up his left sleeve, exposing a scar on his upper arm. "This is what scares me. The last time I ran into Lawrence he shot for my heart, and it was sheer luck that I turned and took the shot to my shoulder instead. Then, mere moments later he shot for my head, and the only reason I am here today is because a very powerful friend of mine stopped the bullet one inch-_one_ _fucking inch_-from my head. You try going through that, and not wanting to make sure you are as ready as possible to face the man who once nearly killed you."

Valor was quiet for a moment, feeling as though he had horribly hurt his friend. "Listen, Galen, I haven't been through that exact circumstance, but I can understand not wanting to face someone who caused you pain. But right now, Tamashī is in the hands of that man that you don't want to face. I can't just leave her with him." Starting to tear up slightly, he continued, saying, "She could be hurt. For all I know she could be dead. But I'm willing to risk myself for even the possibility of getting her back. For even the slightest chance of holding her in my arms, and looking into her eyes again. But I can't do it without you, and I don't think I would survive if I tried. So, I can understand being scared, but I'm certain that Tamashī is feeling even worse, and I…I can't stand that thought. I need to go on, because what scares me is the thought of never seeing her again. But I need your help."

Galen shook his head, then a small smile crept onto his lips. "You know, I've taught you a lot, but I think there are things that you simply can't teach, and being as convincing as you are is one of them. After everything I've been through, you would think I wouldn't be so scared of, well, anything. There was a time when I wouldn't have been afraid. I would have gone in half-cocked and ready to fight my way through hell and back. But my fear now isn't really for me. I fear for my family. I don't want to die and leave my wife and unborn child like that. I'm afraid of the thought that my child will grow up without me. I will be there to help you Valor. But, I still want to stay here for the night, to give us a better chance of survival."

On the one hand Valor was glad his friend was still going to help, but at the same time, he wasn't happy about the delay. "But, Galen, what if she…" He couldn't finish the sentence, not wanting to follow that line of thought.

"Valor, do you have an aversion to using the things I've taught you?"

"Uh…no."

Galen raised a hand and pointed to the west. "Then close your eyes, and stretch your senses out in that direction about half a mile."

Valor did as Galen suggested, and after a few moments he found what Galen must have wanted him to find. There was a rather sizeable property, the whole thing surrounded by a stone wall. On the property was a large manor, and connected to the manor was what appeared from here to be some sort of green house. Inside that particular structure there was much foliage, as well as an artificial river and waterfall. Valor took in a sharp breath, as he realised that mixed in with the Auras of the plants were the Auras of several pokémon, and among them was a green Aura he would have recognized anywhere. He opened his eyes, and found that he was crying in happiness. Wiping the tears from his face he said, "She's alive. And from what I can tell, she's a bit stressed out, and somewhat depressed, but otherwise alright."

Galen nodded. "Exactly. That's why I think it will be alright if we wait here for the night. She should be fine until tomorrow."

Valor reluctantly agreed. He knew Galen was right, and that she was okay, but he still didn't like the idea of leaving her there for any longer. As he fell asleep that night, he found he was anxious, worried about what the dawn would bring. If they were lucky, he would be re-united with Tamashī. If they were not so lucky, then his greatest worry was the possibility of his dream about Tamashī's death coming true. As the realm of dreams took him, his last conscious thought was _I am almost there Tamashī. Just hold on a little longer._


	14. Chapter 11: Imprisoned

_There is always another view to see the world from, and always another story that can be told. For as Valor dealt with the ordeal of his training and searching, Tamashī was forced to endure a great ordeal of her own…_

It had taken only a few hours for the small white helicopter to reach the Kanto Region. Once it had landed, Lawrence and Tamashī transferred to a white luxury automobile, and not for the first time Tamashī noticed that Lawrence seemed rather fond of that colour. As they sped down the road Lawrence talked constantly, irritating Tamashī to no end. Nothing he said was of any real consequence to her, it was mostly just bragging about his home and his possessions. Then of course, every now and again, there would be comments on how happy he thought she would be living with him, something she doubted greatly.

By mid-afternoon they had reached Lawrence's home, and at the first sight of it Tamashī had to admit that it was impressive, even if she had no wish to live there. The exterior was painted white with gold embellishments all along the walls, clearly intended to show stature. The building consisted of three floors, as well as there being one small tower on the north side of the building. There was also what appeared to be a large green house on the southern side of the building, and off to one side of the property were several smaller buildings. Lawrence said that those were his servants' quarters.

The car rolled up a clean and neatly paved drive lined with flowers, all of them white. When the vehicle pulled to a stop a man who, though well dressed, was clearly a servant opened the door, and Tamashī reluctantly stepped out, feeling as though she were being taken to her execution.

"Welcome back Master. I trust you had a pleasant journey?"

Lawrence nodded to the man who had opened the door, clearly thinking of the man as inferior. "Yes. And I dare say I made a nice acquisition."

Without giving the servant a chance to say anymore Lawrence began walking toward the soaring structure before them, indicating for Tamashī to follow. "What you just saw is the status quo in the behaviour I expect from those who serve me. They all address me as Master Lawrence, or simply as Master, and I expect the same of you, Tamashī."

They entered the building, and upon seeing the interior Tamashī felt she was truly going to come to despise the colour white. She couldn't help but wonder what his fascination was with the colour. "Bite me."

Lawrence shook his head with a sigh. "Now, now, that simply won't do. I will not have you speaking to me like that Tamashī. As I have said before, I don't wish to harm you, but at the same time I will not stand for insubordination. Or would you like your "mate" to wind up in behind bars for having a relationship with you? Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes." Tamashī responded, feeling nothing but hatred for this man who had single-handedly torn a massive whole in her happy life with Valor.

"Yes…?" Lawrence said, indicating not-so-subtly what he wanted her to say.

"Yes…Master." She replied, spitting out the word 'Master' like a curse, as her hatred for Lawrence only continued to grow.

Lawrence smiled. "There now, was that so difficult?"

They continued through the interior of the house, Lawrence occasionally stopping to explain functions of various rooms in the house. Eventually they reached a pair of ornate glass door which lead out into the green house like structure Tamashī had noticed earlier. Lawrence opened the doors and strode over the threshold, once more gesturing for her to follow. There were trees and plants everywhere, as well as a small river. On the far side of the structure was a small artificial cliff, which seemed to serve as a waterfall into the river. "This is where you will spend your days Tamashī, along with my other pokémon."

Tamashī normally would have stretched out with her senses to look for the other pokémon he spoke of, but even thinking of doing so only served to remind her of the collar around her neck, which she had found had also made her unable to manipulate Aura, and had limited her ability to sense it. Lawrence turned to face her, a proud smile on his lips. "So, what do you think? Is it not everything I promised? Is it not a beautiful place to live?"

Tamashī scoffed. "This is not a place to live, not for me. To me this is no more than a place to endure. To me, this is no more than a prison. That is all I see. You see a beautiful home that you've built on the backs of better men, but all I see is bars and chains. A prison is a prison, no matter how beautiful."

Lawrence shook his head with a sad sigh. "Well, I hope in time you will come to see this as what it is: your home."

"Fuck off. It's not gonna happen."

In an almost off-handed way he said, "I will not stand for that sort of language, Tamashī. You will keep a civil tongue, or I shall be forced to punish you, and I would prefer not to do so."

Compelled by something other than reason she chose to push her luck by saying, "I reiterate, fuck off."

Before she had any time to react he struck her across the face sending her reeling back several feet, resulting in her tripping and falling to the ground. "That was your final warning. Next time I will take more severe measures. Defy me again, and you will desperately wish you hadn't."

As she looked up at him she found that what she hated most about that moment wasn't the fact that he had struck her, or the cold, emotionless look in his eyes as he spoke. No, what she hated most about that moment was that she couldn't fight back, and even if she tried, she knew he had an activation switch for the shock function of her collar on his person. All she could really do was stare at him in anger and try to ignore the stinging sensation in the spot he had hit. "When my mate comes for me, you had better watch your back."

Lawrence smiled cruelly, bending down so that they were face to face. "When he comes for you? My dear Tamashī, even if he is searching for you, there is no way he will find you. You are mine now, and if I were you I would come to terms with that fact quickly, because more likely than not, he will give up on you and go off to find some other pretty female to spend his days with. That is the unfortunate cruelty of the real world. In the real world, happy endings are very, very rare."

Staring back at him with unblinking determination she replied by saying, "You are wrong. He wouldn't abandon me. He's not like you. He will come for me, and when he does, don't expect him to be too happy with you _Master_."

Lawrence straightened up and walked past her back into the main body of the house, closing the door behind him without another word. Tamashī got to her feet gently rubbing the left side of her face, wishing that her fur had provided a bit more cushioning from the blow. She found his lack of response a bit odd, but then she smiled to herself, and thought, _Well, if he wants to give me the silent treatment, who am I to argue?_

She looked around, thinking about what she should do next. She had found that the collar around her neck restricted her ability to manipulate Aura, but she could still sense it. Closing her eyes she stretched out her senses until she found the other pokémon Lawrence had spoken of. She set off through the foliage, headed for the far side of the structure, where the Auras of three other pokémon were grouped together.

After a minute or two she arrived at the base of the artificial waterfall, where there was a small pool of water connected to the river running through the indoor forest. Lounging around the pool where the three pokémon she had sensed before. One was a Lilligant, one was a Gardevoir, and the last of the three was Lopunny, who, as opposed to the normal brown and cream Lopunny colour scheme, had a greyish body with pink fur on her ears, tail and paws.

They all looked surprised by Tamashī's sudden appearance, but at the same time, she felt as though she could see pity in their eyes. The Gardevoir stood up, brushing dust off, then spoke with a voice that was clearly female. "If I had to guess, I would say you are Master Lawrence's newest acquisition. As you may have guessed by now, we are in essentially the same situation you are. So, none of us have names besides those of our species, but what of you?"

Tamashī immediately recognized that this Gardevoir was the leader of this little group of pokémon, or at the very least she was boldest of them. "My name…is Tamashī."

"Then you were taken from you trainer as well. Lopunny and I also used to belong to trainers. I can understand if you feel a bit overwhelmed by all of this."

Lopunny chose to chime in at that moment, speaking in a way that could only be described as promiscuous. "Of course, if you're feeling too overwhelmed, or stressed out, or even just a little lonely, I'm always open to helping relieve those feelings." She punctuated the sentence with a wink, causing Tamashī to blush lightly beneath her fur.

Gardevoir sighed. "Dammit Lopunny, she just got here. Can you give it five minutes before you start hitting on her?"

"Sorry Gardevoir." Lopunny bowed her head, prompting Lilligant to giggle. Lopunny threw her a dirty look, but didn't go any farther than that.

Turning back to Tamashī, Gardevoir smiled apologetically. "Sorry about her, but you know what Lopunnies are like. Anyway, as you can see, we really only have each other around here. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

"I appreciate it, but I don't intend to be here for long."

Gardevoir sighed sadly, exchanging a brief glance with Lopunny. "Let me guess, you think your trainer will come for you, right? Lopunny and I used to think the same way, but our respective trainers never came. We've both been here for the better part of two years."

Tamashī shook her head vigorously. "Valor won't leave me like that. He's not just my trainer, he's also…my mate."

They all stared in disbelief, then their expressions turned obviously piteous. It was Gardevoir who then spoke. "You mean you and your trainer…"

Tamashī nodded in conformation. Gardevoir walked up to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "If you really love him, which I can tell you do just by looking in you eyes, then your time here is going to be even harder on you. I'm sorry."

Tamashī canted her head to one side, not understanding. "What do you mean?"

With a rather dark and sad look in her eyes Gardevoir answered. "I'm sure you'll find out soon enough."

She then turned and silently walked away, leaving Tamashī feeling very worried about what the future would hold.

That first night was the worst for Tamashī. As the day went on she had gotten to know the other pokémon better, and had decided that, though she didn't want to be there, at least she had decent company.

As the sun went down they were essentially herded inside, and each was guided to a bedroom in the house by one of Lawrence's servants. Tamashī thought it was rather odd that they all had their own rooms, but considering everything else going on, it was the least of her worries. It was well furnished, just like every other room in the house, though Tamashī found herself once again wondering what Lawrence's fascination was with the colour white.

She reluctantly snuggled herself into the large bed in the room, not liking the idea of sleeping in the home of a kidnapper and murderer. Though she found that the bed was quite comfortable, at the same time it felt…empty. She had become so used to the feeling of Valor's arms wrapped around her as she slept, that she was finding it hard to fall asleep.

On top of being lonely, she was finding it hard to find a position to sleep in where the collar around her neck wasn't making her uncomfortable. She simply wasn't used to any of it. Eventually she fell into a fitful sleep, haunted by all too vivid dreams of spending her whole life imprisoned.

The next morning she was roughly pushed back out into the glass walled building by another of Lawrence's servants along with the other pokémon. Without a word the others returned to the little pool at the foot of the artificial waterfall. Tamashī joined them, and after a short while asked, "So is this all you guys do all day? Just sit here?"

Gardevoir nodded. "We don't have anything else to do. Master Lawrence is a collector of pokémon. We are just possessions to him. Our only job is to sit here and look good."

"Something that we are quite good at, in case you hadn't noticed." Lopunny added.

Tamashī stared in disbelief. "How can you be content with that? How can you not want to rebel against him? How can you just sit there and take it? And _why _do you insist on calling him 'Master" when he's not even around?"

Lilligant had generally been less vocal than the other two, but she chose to be the one to respond. "It is just our way of life. We have become used to it. After all the time we've spent here, we've just accepted it. There's not much else we can do."

Tamashī crossed her arms, a mixture of disappointment and irritation showing on her face. "You can always do something else, even if the things you do are small."

Gardevoir shook her head. "It's not worth it. Trust me, the consequences for disobedience can often be…excessive."

Knowing she wasn't getting anywhere in the discussion, Tamashī sat down and leaned back against a tree, wishing she had a way to convince the others that they could fight back. After a few minutes, she started to experience a rather odd sensation. "Turning to Gardevoir she asked, "Are there cameras in here, or anything like that? I feel like someone is watching me."

Gardevoir sighed with a small smile. "I'm actually surprised you didn't notice her sooner, what with those Aura senses of yours."

"Notice who?"

Lopunny answered the question, saying, "We are not Master Lawrence's only three pokémon-well, four counting you. He also has one more: an exceedingly shy Milotic."

Tamashī tensed up. "A…a Milotic?"

Gardevoir nodded slowly, looking at Tamashī with suspicion. "Yes, a Milotic. Is there something wrong with that?"

With a certain amount of reluctance, Tamashī responded. "I'm…not exactly…a big fan of snakes…or things that are…similar to snakes."

Lopunny broke into a giggling fit, apparently finding Tamashī's fear amusing. Gardevoir threw the bunny pokémon a dirty look, then smiled comfortingly at Tamashī. "I wouldn't worry about it. Like _she_ said, Milotic is quite shy. You probably won't see her very often, or even at all." Then with a slightly puzzled expression she added, "Though, come to think of it, it's kind of odd for her to be even this close to someone new. She's been here longer than any of us, and she was always reluctant to reveal her presence."

Lilligant nodded, confirming what Gardevoir had said. "I came here about a year before Gardevoir and Lopunny. I didn't even know there was another pokémon out here with me for the first two months I was here."

Tamashī took a little bit of comfort in that. "I still don't like the idea of it though, being so close to someone so snake like."

Lopunny had recovered from her amusement, and was now trying to catch her breath. "Well hey, if you do happen to run into her, just remember the shy ones tend to be really good when it comes to breeding."

Tamashī stared in open mouthed shock at the Normal-type. "You mean you…and that Milotic have…"

Lopunny nodded with a proud sort of smile. "Well, a girl can only go for so long without sex. Milotic needed some release, and I was all too happy to provide it." With a wink she added, "And I would more than gladly do the same for you, Tamashī."

Tamashī gave an exasperated sigh. Lopunny had been making little comments like that ever since Tamashī had arrived, and it was growing a little tiresome. "Is sex all you ever think about?"

Lopunny placed one of the digits of her paw to her lips, taking a thoughtful pose. "Well, I would say I think about sex around…sixty to seventy percent of the time. The rest of it is things like eating, sleeping, and…nope, that's it."

"Well then, you're very simple minded." Tamashī commented with a wry smile. They all started laughing at that, even Lopunny, and for the first time in days Tamashī felt a glimmer of happiness.

The moment was cut short though, when a servant came out to them, and simply said to Tamashī, "Come with me. Master Lawrence wishes to see you."

He roughly grabbed Tamashī by the shoulder and guided her inside, taking her into the manor. Against her will he pushed her through the corridors until they arrived at a set of ornately carved wooden doors. The servant opened the door and gestured for her to go in with a nod. She reluctantly stepped through into the room, and the doors were closed behind her. The room she found herself in was quite large, with one wall lined with bookshelves and the other wall taken up by large windows, letting vast amounts of light into the room.

Seated behind a grandiose desk of dark oak wood at the far end of the room was Lawrence. He was smiling with his standard smug smile, and he had a look in his eyes that said he had been waiting for her arrival. "Hello, Tamashī. Please, come over here."

She hesitated for a moment, then quietly walked across the room, stopping to stand a few feet in front of the desk. "The servant said you wanted to see me."

He nodded. "Yes. I'm curious to know how you are. How you are feeling, both emotionally and physically. I'd like to know how you are adjusting to your knew surroundings. What you think of everything you have seen-and if your view of this as 'a prison' has changed. Those are the matters that concern me."

Fighting to maintain her composure and not rip is throat out with her bare teeth, she said, "Well let's see. Physically I'm fine, except that I find this collar rather irritatingly uncomfortable. Emotionally, I would like nothing more than to rip you limb from limb for screwing with my life so much."

She half expected him to respond to that, but he remained silent, his face now unreadable. A little irritated that he hadn't responded she continued. "As for my surroundings, I think you care entirely too much about things and objects, and that most of this is totally unnecessary. Frankly, I could never get used to living like this. And yes, I still view this as a prison, _Master_."

Lawrence stood and walked around to the front of the desk, stopping in front of her. "Well, I certainly didn't expect you to change your views overnight, but I'm sure at some point you will come to appreciate me and the home I now provide for you."

"I wouldn't count on it. My mate will come for me, and then I'll be leaving here for ever. And I'll take your other prisoners with me if I can. After all, they did know what it meant to be free once. I'm sure they would be all to glad to get a reminder of that feeling."

Lawrence chuckled, shaking his head. "You really do believe that young man is coming for you, don't you? He will never find you, and even if he does, it will be the last thing he ever does. You are mine now, Tamashī, and there is no changing that fact."

Lawrence snapped his fingers and the door to the room opened, admitting the servant who had brought her in. Speaking to the man Lawrence said, "Take her back outside. I'm done with her for now." Turning back to her he added, "But we will speak again very soon, my lovely little blue friend."

The servant once again took hold of her by the shoulder, and began guiding her out of the room. As they stepped back through the doors to the room Tamashī took one last look at the one who held her prisoner, only to see Lawrence with a smug, sadistic smile on his lips.

When she was pushed back out into the small indoor forest the others seemed surprised that she was alright, as though they were expecting something horrible to happen to her. When she asked why they brushed off the question, leaving her feeling more alone and isolated than she had since she had arrived.

As she tried to fall asleep later that night, she found herself wondering if the others could be right. She couldn't help but think 'What if Valor doesn't come for me?' Though she believed that he would come for her, she didn't want to be there for longer than she had to, and doubt had begun to creep. She slid out of the bed and walked over to the small window that looked out to the south. The moon was shining brightly in the night sky, casting everything in a greyish white light.

'Where is my mate now?' she thought. What is he doing? Is he searching for me? She let out a sad sigh, hating that she imply didn't know. She hated even more that she couldn't just reach out and feel his Aura. She had become used to knowing where he was, and she felt comfortable with always being able to feel his presence. As memories of Valor flooded her mind she could feel her eyes starting to tear up, a wave of sadness starting to overwhelm her.

She shook her head, trying to clear her mind. With another sad sigh she returned to the bed, and, unable to contain her emotions, she wound up crying herself into a fitful sleep.

When she woke the next morning it was only shortly after dawn's first light. She knew it would be a little while yet before she was taken back outside if the schedule of the previous day had been consistent. The door to the bedroom locked from the outside, so all she could do was sit in isolation until someone came to get her. Despite her fur, she experienced a strange cold feeling. But it was a cold that came from sadness and loneliness, not from her environment.

When the door opened she put he emotions under control, determined not to show any kind of weakness or submission to her jailers. No matter how she felt, she knew she had to stay strong and not give in if she wanted to last for any length of time in such a place. With her head held high she followed the servant who had come for her out of the room, mentally preparing herself for whatever the day ahead may bring.

However, nothing unusual happened that day, or for the next few days after that. As the days had begun to blur together a little, she wasn't totally sure, but she thought that it was on the seventh day after her arrival that Lawrence had a servant bring her in to see him again. She felt an unfortunate sense of déjà vu as she was led down the spotless white corridors to Lawrence's study, and again when she entered the room to see him sitting expectantly behind his desk, waiting for her again.

As she approached him she had a defiant look in her eyes, something he found somewhat amusing, seeing as she was under his power. "I apologise Tamashī, for it has been longer than I intended since our last little talk. But, I have been occupied with other matters."

Tamashī gave a derisive snort in response. "What? Murdering someone else? Or maybe another kidnapping? Ruining someone else's happiness for your own amusement?"

Lawrence shook his head with a bemused smile. "So very outspoken. If it weren't for the fact that I generally enjoy your personality, I might punish you for those kinds of outbursts. In response to your inquiry, no, it wasn't anything like that. I was dealing with making sure my sources of income were steady and capable of continuing to provide with the life style to which I am accustomed."

"And what sources would those be? Something makes me doubt you do any work yourself."

"You are correct. Most of my income comes from stocks I hold in major companies such as Silph Co. and Devon Goods. At least those are the sources any given government believes my money comes from. But then, you should be well aware by now that I don't have any qualms about doing things that are less than legal."

Tamashī filled that away into her memory, in case it could be useful. "That's all fine and well, but something tells me you didn't bring me here to tell me about your business ventures."

He nodded. "You are correct yet again. I am wondering if your feelings have changed at all toward me, or toward my home-toward _our _home."

"This is _not_ my home! My home is wherever my mate is. I will never acknowledge this as my home, nor will I ever view you as anything but a sadistic creep!"

"Calm down now, you need not be so defensive. I truly wish you would change your view of me though, as I was hoping that you and I could become…closer."

Tamashī tensed up. There was something about the way he had spoken that bothered her. "What do you mean 'closer'?"

"Well, I know that, intelligent as pokémon are, your kind are also very driven by your basic instincts. I know that those instincts can drive you to the brink of madness if not properly satisfied. Thus, with all of my pokémon, I offer my services in satisfying…certain instincts."

Realising what he was driving at, she started backing away from him, growling with her ears flattened against her head. "If you so much as _touch_ me, I won't hesitate to rip your fucking throat out with my bare teeth!"

Lawrence sighed. "I did warn you about keeping a civil tongue. You brought this upon yourself."

He pushed his left sleeve up just past his wrist, exposing a small wrist band made of black metal with several small buttons on its surface. He pressed one of them, and Tamashī immediately felt a minor jolt of electricity surge through her, originating from the collar around her neck. Though the shock wasn't terribly strong, she still gave a yelp of surprise and fell to one knee, totally caught of guard by the suddenness of it. She glared at Lawrence, desperately wishing she could wipe the sadistic smile from his lips.

"Now, maybe you'll learn you lesson this time. Next time I will not be so gentle. As for the matter of relieving your needs, that is up to you. I will not force myself on to you. It is merely an offer that is there if you wish to take it."

Shakily getting to her feet, she stared back at him with a mixture of rage and defiance. "It is an offer I will never take."

"We shall see. In time, your desires may prove too much for you. After all, I am sure you are used to more stimulation than you are getting here and now. But, I have nothing more to say to you today."

Only a few minutes later she was back outside, and she had a bone to pick with the other pokémon. Since they were always in the same place she didn't have to search for them, and as soon as they were in she, with clear rage asked, "Should I assume that what just happened was what you weren't telling me every time I asked?!"

The all stared in surprise for a moment then Gardevoir spoke. "What are you talking about?"

She stalked over to them, fighting not to take her anger out on them. "Oh, you don't know? Well let me fill you in. Lawrence just essentially suggested that I have sex with him in order to 'satisfy my instincts'!"

Gardevoir gulped, and the other two remained silent. "Oh. _That._ So, he finally made his first move then."

"What do you mean 'his first move'?!"

Lopunny spoke up, answering the question. "At first he'll make it your choice. You can turn him down as much as you want to. But after a while, he won't be asking anymore. There will come a point where you will have two options: give in, or be forced down and have no say in what happens."

Tamashī's entire body was shaking with anger. "And what did all of you do? Just give in? I am so sick of this attitude you all have toward the crappy life you've been forced to live. Do you have no will of your own? Or are you really just so fucking docile that when some random male says 'bend over', that's exactly what you go and do?!"

They were all silent for a moment, the only sound coming from Tamashī's anger-induced heavy breathing. Then, very quietly, it was Lilligant who spoke. "I'm sorry if we've given you such a low opinion of us, but what you've said is not in fact true. Gardevoir and I both fought against it as hard as we could."

Turning to Lopunny, Tamashī asked, "And you?"

"I'm not proud of it, but I did give in. You know what we Lopunnies are like. I needed to feel the touch of a male. I just…had to."

Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Tamashī spoke again. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to insult you-any of you. I simply can't stand that man, or anything he does."

Gardevoir stepped closer, laying a slim hand on Tamashī's shoulder. "I understand. We all do. But you see, none of us like him. We all find him horrible. We've just gotten to the point where we don't bother to fight back anymore, because we've tried and failed so many times. If there was a way for us to win against him, or to escape, then we would."

Lopunny chose that moment to chime in. "Though, if it makes you feel any better, I have no issues with telling you that Master Lawrence really isn't very impressive."

Tamashī canted her head to one side, not comprehending. "What do you mean?"

Gardevoir and Lilligant both fought to stifle snorts of amusement. Lopunny, with a bemused smile, explained. "Well, let's just say he does his fighting with a blade that's only about four inches long."

Tamashī blushed as she realised what she was being told, then found herself doubled over in mirth. Speaking between bursts of laughter she said, "Well, suddenly the big house and the large number of servants makes sense. It would appear as though our 'Master' is compensating for something!"

In spite of the conversation they had been having only a moment before, they all wound up laughing until they were all gasping for breath. But even with that moment of amusement, there was still an increasingly prevalent dark shadow that Tamashī could feel forming over her life.

The rest of the day from that point passed without any event. Over the course of the next two weeks, a pattern came to be established. Every two days or so, she would be called into Lawrence's study again. He would ask after her well being, and make allusions to engaging in sexual activities with her if she so desired. Usually she just gave standard defiant answers, but some days her temper got the better of her and she would wind up getting mild shocks for her-as he called it on more than one occasion-'insolence'. There were more than a few nights when she wound up crying herself to sleep, due to loneliness and missing Valor more than anything else.

With the help of the other pokémon there were days when she could almost forget that she was a prisoner, but the knowledge of her situation was always just beneath the surface. As she got to know the others, Tamashī came to understand just how similar they really were. Lilligant had been living a happy life as a wild pokémon is a forest in Unova before Lawrence had come along and taken her from her home. Gardevoir's trainer had heartlessly sold her, his only desire being to satisfy his own greed. Lawrence had extorted Lopunny's trainer until the poor girl had had no other choice but to hand Lopunny over. Though none of them had been taken from their mate as Tamashī had, they had all been hurt in some way by what had happened to them.

During those days there were also days when one of the other pokémon would be taken to Lawrence. Though no one ever said anything about it, she could always tell what had happened to them when they would return a couple of hours later. Clearly their so-called Master hadn't lied when he said he offered his 'services' to all of his pokémon. Though he expected her to warm up to him, or simply give in, she only came to resent him more for every action he took that brought harm to her or her new friends.

But as much as she hated the man, she had to admit he had been right about one thing. As the days wore on she could feel her sexual needs building. Though she could take the edge off by using her paws, or by bending far enough to make use of her own tongue, it wasn't the same as being touched by another. But she wasn't about to go to Lawrence for satisfaction of her desires. Thus, early in her third week at Lawrence's estate, she came up with the only real solution.

On what she counted as her twenty third day of captivity, she decided to see how serious Lopunny had been about all of her promiscuous little comments over the past few weeks. When she came to Lopunny with her request, the bunny pokémon was ecstatic to say the least.

"Really? You really want to do this? You're not just pulling my leg? What brought you around?"

Tamashī released a small, shuddering sigh. "Yes, I'm serious. I can't stand this lack of…physical release anymore."

"Stop being so proper! Just say you're horny." Lopunny was becoming quite giddy about Tamashī's request.

Off to one side, Gardevoir and Lilligant were both watching with bemused expressions. "Would you two like to be alone?" The Psychic-type inquired, a clearly amused tone colouring her voice.

Tamashī nodded. "I would prefer that, yes."

"Why not let them stay?" Lopunny asked. "I bet they would enjoy watching. Besides, it's not like you need to be self conscious or anything. Not with a body like yours."

Tamashī blushed beneath her fur and shook her head in response. "I already feel awkward enough about this. I don't need to add to that by having others watch."

Lopunny sighed in defeat. "Oh, all right. I suppose we can do this privately."

Gardevoir got to her feet, brushing dust off her body. "Well, I guess that's our cue to leave. Come on Lilligant." Gardevoir got up and started to walk away, Lilligant following close behind. Gardevoir stopped for only a second, long enough to look back over her shoulder, wink suggestively, and say, "Have fun you two."

She then disappeared from sight, leaving Tamashī alone with Lopunny. The Normal-type had calmed down a bit, but was still obviously excited over what would come next. "I just have one question before we do this. What about your mate? Aren't you worried that this would be kind of like, I don't know, betraying him."

She shook her head, a small smile on her lips. "No. He would understand. Actually, if I ever tell him about this he'll probably be upset that he didn't get to watch."

Lopunny stepped close to Tamashī, a seductive little smile on her lips. "So, how would you like to do this?"

Tamashī could feel her face growing ever warmer, and she was doing everything in her power to avoid Lopunny's gaze. "I…I don't know. I've never been with another female before. I mean, I know what feels good, at least for me, but outside of that I'm a little clueless here. I think it would be better if you called the shots, much as I dislike being the submissive one."

Lopunny moved even closer until their bodies were separated by hardly any space, then she wrapped her soft furred arms around Tamashī's waist, drawing them even closer together. "Okay then. And don't worry, I'll try to be gentle with you."

Before Tamashī could respond she found herself locking lips with a clearly aroused Lopunny. Even if Tamashī hadn't been the target of that arousal, she could quite easily smell how ready the shiny rabbit pokémon was. She didn't react at first to the sudden kiss, but after a moment she gave in to her instinct and kissed Lopunny back, enjoying the feeling of initiating any kind of intimacy with another being for the first time in what felt like forever.

Before she even realised she was doing it, Tamashī snaked her tongue into Lopunny's mouth, which only seemed to spur the horny little bunny on. Soon their oral muscles were wrestling back and forth, twisting and writhing against each other. After a few minutes they were forced to separate in order to properly catch their breath. Thought their mouths were no longer connected they stayed pressed against one another, blue fur consistently brushing against silvery grey.

When they had both caught their breath, Lopunny leaned in close to Tamashī and whispered, "Now the real fun begins. All you have to do is lay back and let me handle the rest."

Tamashī complied, lying on her back on the ground with her legs spread. Lopunny was quickly between Tamashī's knees, her head so close to Tamashī's already dripping sex that she could feel Lopunny's every breath. Lopunny looked up, her eyes meeting Tamashī's and seeming to ask, are you sure?

Tamashī nodded apprehensively, letting out a gasp of surprised pleasure a moment later as Lopunny applied a long, slow lick with her small tongue along Tamashī's wet lower lips. It felt so good, having something other than her own paws touching her again. Lopunny continued to lick at Tamashī's entrance, each stroke carefully measured to create as much pleasure as possible. Tamashī was totally at her mercy.

It had been so long since Tamashī's last orgasm that she was completely unable to control herself, resulting in Lopunny getting a furry face full of Tamashī's fluids. Lopunny backed off for a moment, trying to catch her breath. With a smile she said, 'I guess you really did need that, huh?"

In a daze from having her first orgasm in what felt like ages, Tamashī could do little more than nod in response. Lopunny giggled then said, "Well, don't get to comfortable. I'm not done yet."

Without any hesitation the bunny pokémon dove back down and this time gave her attentions to Tamashī's swollen clit. She could do little more than whimper in pleasure as Lopunny lightly flicked the engorged nubbin with the tipper of her tongue, sending shudders of pleasure through Tamashī's whole body. Lopunny switched tactics after a short while, using the digits of her paws to lightly spread Tamashī's entrance. She then gently slid her tongue into the pink flesh, pleasuring her in a way Tamashī had never before conceived of. Just the sensation was enough to bring the blue pokémon to a second orgasm, leaving her exhaustedly panting as she fought to remain conscious.

Having done her job, Lopunny crawled up next to Tamashī, and quietly asked, "Will that do?"

After a minute she found her voice and responded. "Yes. That will be enough…for now. But I may very well ask you to do that again at some point."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. Perhaps you would be willing to show your appreciation by returning the favour?"

Tamashī was quiet for a moment, then said, "Alright. I guess that's the least I can do in return."

"Good." Lopunny laid back and gestured toward her nethers with a jerk of her head.

Slightly surprised by the suddenness of it, Tamashī rolled herself so that she was on her paws and knees. She quickly moved over to the lower half of Lopunny's body, and then, with some trepidation, took her first taste of female flesh.

She found the taste of the fluids flowing from Lopunny's mound likeable enough, a sort of sweet flavour. But she could honestly say she still preferred the taste of her mate's orgasmic fluids. Lopunny, thoroughly enjoying the stimulation provided by Tamashī's long, flat tongue, gently placed one paw on the back of Tamashī's head, and began using her other paw to stimulate one of her own nipples, massaging it in a circular pattern. The sensation of Tamashī's tongue gliding along her softest spot proved too much for Lopunny after a few minute of continual stimulation, and she went through her fairly normal two to three orgasms, the rhythmic contractions of her inner muscles covering both Tamashī's face and the ground with copious amounts of her own fluids.

Both were breathing heavily as Tamashī moved back up to where Lopunny was lying, a contented sort of look on her face. She and Lopunny snuggled up close to one another, both feeling a sudden pleasant sleepiness overtaking them. Before she fell into an orgasm induced sleep, Tamashī whispered, "Thanks, Lopunny."

That drew little more than a slight affirmative nod from Lopunny, who quickly fell to sleep, shortly followed by Tamashī.

When Tamashī woke a few hours later Gardevoir and Lilligant were still no where to be seen, and Lopunny was still fast asleep. She got quietly to her feet and gently brushed the dirt from her fur, trying not to ruin the serene quiet that filled the air.

Tamashī quickly realised she was going to need some form of bath after what she had been through with the lightly snoring bunny pokémon. She stretched her body out, then made her way over to the artificial waterfall, figuring it was her best option for getting clean. Never having actually been into the little pool of water at its base, she was surprised to find as she was wading in that the water came up to her waist.

She started by scrubbing the dried remains of Lopunny's orgasms from her face, then moved on to scrubbing the rest of her body. When she was done she gave a contented sigh, then moved to one of the shallower parts of the pool and sat down, enjoying being mostly submerged in the water. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to really relax for the first time since she had been brought to Lawrence's estate.

After a few minutes the pleasant silence was broken by an unfamiliar female voice saying, "I know you didn't want anyone watching you and Lopunny, but I couldn't help myself. It was quite entertaining."

Tamashī's eyes snapped open to the sight of a Milotic's head poking out of the water. Almost instantly Tamashī's relaxed feelings were replaced by tension and fear. Seeing this reaction, Milotic gave a mournful sigh. "I forgot. You don't like snakes, right?"

Feeling suddenly very nervous and exposed, Tamashī quietly nodded, trying to figure out how to get out of the situation.

Milotic tilted her head to one side with what passed for a quizzical expression. "If you don't mind my asking, what is your issue with snakes?"

Finding her voice, Tamashī managed to stammer out her standard response of 'I don't want to talk about it.'

"Oh come on. There must be a reason behind it, even if it's some silly little reason. If it makes you feel any better, you don't have any reason to be afraid of me."

Starting to feel irritated as opposed to afraid, Tamashī said, "No, that doesn't make me feel any better. It has nothing to do with you specifically, I just don't like snakes!"

"But why?"

"Can you please just go away? I really don't want to talk about it!"

Milotic shook her head. "I'm not leaving unless you give me a good reason as to why you're afraid of snakes."

"Fine, if it will get rid of you, then I'll tell you!" Taking a deep breath Tamashī continued. "When I was a Riolu, a period of my life that didn't last terribly long, I had a, well, rather frightening encounter of sorts with a snake. Valor, my mate, had fallen asleep, and I, being a pup with too much curiosity for her own good, decided to go exploring off on my own. Eventually I came to this really small break in the forest we were in, and in that little clearing there were two pokémon fighting. One was a Staravia, and the other was an Ekans. They were fighting each other really viciously. The Ekans repeatedly sank its fangs into the Staravia, to the point where they were dripping with blood. I was paralyzed with fear. All I could do was watch as one of the Ekans' fangs pierced that poor Staravia's heart, killing it almost instantly. Then, The Ekans noticed me standing there. I don't really remember much after that, except I remember running, and I remember Valor holding me when I returned. That's really it. But, seeing that cold, emotionless taking of the life of another pokémon…the blood dripping from Ekans' fangs…it just…scared me. Ever since then, I've had this morbid fear of snakes."

All was quiet as Tamashī tried to block out the memories and Milotic considered what she had been told. Then Milotic began to speak, slowly, as though she were carefully considering each word. "I can see how that would affect you, but, it's not like you didn't know that wild pokémon hunt each other."

"I know that. If I were a wild pokémon I would probably have to do the same at some point. But it wasn't really the killing that upset me. That's just part of nature. What scared me so much was how emotionlessly that Ekans killed that poor Staravia. It was so…cold and…pitiless."

Milotic nodded. "I understand. But you know, not all of us serpentine pokémon are like that. Serperiors are pretty docile and caring as well. And we Milotics don't have fangs, and we aren't the least bit predatory."

"I know all that too, but I just…" Tamashī trailed off with a shake of her head, not quite sure how to finish that sentence.

Milotic started moving closer, her head still the only part of her visible above the water. "You really don't need to be scared. Besides, you shouldn't judge a whole species-or group of species-by the actions of one. After all, there are awful humans out there, Lawrence serving as a perfect example, but you still love your mate, right?"

Tamashī nodded silently, then looked at Milotic with a confused expression. "Hold on. You…you didn't call him 'Master'. Why?"

"Because, like you, I've never been broken by him. I refuse to accept him as my master. I still stay hopeful that I'll get out of here some day."

"Well, I'm glad to see I'm not the only one around here who hasn't given up." Tamashī smiled to herself, then, a thought occurred to her. "Uh…earlier…did…did you say that you were…watching…me and Lopunny?"

Milotic blushed profusely. "Yes, yes I did. And I was. What can I say, it was fun to watch. Of course, it probably helps that I tend to prefer females."

This time it was Tamashī's turn to blush. "Oh…you prefer…females. I didn't know that. Though, I suppose I could've guessed that after what Lopunny said about you and her."

Milotic giggled. "Yeah, but that only happened once. She's not really my type, I just needed some relief. I prefer females who are a bit more…reserved."

Milotic started edging even closer to her, causing Tamashī's face to grow warmer still. "What…what are you doing?"

"Don't be afraid. I know what I'm doing." Milotic's head disappeared below the surface of the water, and a few seconds later she felt something long and warm sliding along her entrance.

She let out a small gasp of surprise at the feeling of Milotic's tongue. It felt as unexpectedly good as it had when Lopunny had done the same, but it also felt different. Though it was warm with Milotic's body heat, it also had a sort of cooling quality to it.

Tamashī allowed herself to relax once more, enjoying the sensations of Milotic's ministrations. Tamashī received another surprise when Milotic started sliding her tongue into her, filling her nearly as well as Valor could. She started breathing at a faster rate as Milotic slid her tongue in and out of Tamashī's passageway, gently and softly brushing against her inner walls.

Tamashī couldn't help but start whimpering from sheer pleasure, and after only another moment she felt an orgasm sending ripples of pleasure through her body, her inner muscles desperately trying to milk a cock that wasn't there as clouds of her orgasmic fluids swirled through the water.

Milotic's head popped back above the surface of the water, a satisfied smile on her face. "See, I told you I knew what I was doing."

Milotic laid her head on Tamashī's torso, snuggling against her fur. "Um…do you want me to do that for you?"

Milotic shook her head. "No, you needed it _way_ more than I do."

Tamashī gave a defeated sort of sigh. "Well, thanks then. And, for what it's worth, you probably changed how I view snakes-you know, just a little bit."

"You're welcome."

Outside of a few bawdy jokes from the other pokémon at Tamashī's expense relating to her times with both Lopunny and Milotic, the rest of that day passed in a relatively quiet fashion. The next day, as had become the norm by then, she was taken to Lawrence by one of his servants. Though she had become used to being taken before the man, this time she could feel that something was…different the moment she stepped through the doors into his study.

With his usual smug smile he asked, "So, how are you?"

She sighed with clear exasperation. "Look, can we make this quick? Nothing has changed. I don't like you, I don't want to be around you, and I won't ever submit to you sexually."

"Well, I'm sorry you feel that way-"

"You should be. It's your own fault."

"I wasn't finished. As I was saying, I'm sorry you feel that way, because it is no longer your choice."

She instantly tensed up, baring her fangs and growling softly. "If you touch me-"

"And if you act on those thoughts it will only be worse for you in the long run. You really only have two options now. You can either submit willingly, or I can force the matter, and trust me, it will be far easier on you if you just submit willingly."

Shaking with rage, she shook her head in response. "I will not submit to you."

With a rather sadistic smile he said, "I thought you may respond like that. Very well, let me put this another way. You can either submit to me, or not only will I force you to submit, but I will use my money and influence to make sure that young Valor winds up as some prison inmate's bitch."

Tamashī's eyes went wide. There was no way out. If she didn't give in, things would only be worse for her and for Valor. Fighting back a combination of tears and rage she quietly said, "Fine. Do what you want with me."

"I thought you would come to see things my way." Lawrence stood and walked around his desk, stopping only inches away from her. He gently placed a hand on her cheek, then forcibly tilted her head up to look at him. "You've made the right decision. I promise I'll be gentle with you since you've decided to comply."

"Just get this over with."

"As you wish. All you have to do…is bend over. I would recommend bracing yourself against my desk."

Feeling nothing but loathing toward him, she stepped up to the desk, reluctantly bent over it, then closed her eyes, not only to fight back the tears, but also so she wouldn't have to feel any of what came next. She tensed up at the sound of a zipper being undone, then started shaking with fear.

She knew she didn't have a choice, but at the same time, she desperately wished there was some way out of the situation at hand. After a moment she felt him come up behind her, his hips lightly brushing against her rear. She could also feel a throbbing piece of flesh lightly pressing against her mound. Under normal circumstances she would have been highly aroused, and would probably already be dripping some fluids of her own, but she now felt only fear, and trepidation.

She shut her eyes tighter when he made his first thrust into her, going straight to the hilt immediately. Horrible as she felt, she still took a short lived modicum of comfort in that Lopunny had been telling the truth about his endowments. He drew back and hilted himself again, each time generating a muffled thump of skin against fur. Tightly as her eyes were shut, she couldn't prevent a few tears from rolling down her cheeks and onto the wood of the desk.

On the opposite side of the situation, Lawrence was finding the experience quite enjoyable. She was hot and tight, and he couldn't help but find pleasure in her reactions. He loved her fear, her stress. Somehow, it was the best part of the experience for him. As he continued to thrust against her she began quietly whimpering, only encouraging him, until he could feel his balls contracting, filling her with his fluids.

With a satisfied sigh he bent over her and quietly whispered into her ear, "Now you are truly mine, in every way. Don't ever forget that."

Anger replacing her fear, she quietly responded. "You are the worst kind of person, and when my mate gets his hands on you, you _will_ regret this."

"I look forward to the day. For if he does come for you, that will be the day he dies, and the day you have no where else to go."

A short while later she was pushed out into the artificial forest, and then she was alone. As all of her feelings converged on her in that moment, she curled up into a loose sort of ball, no longer fighting against her urge to cry, the salty waters flowing freely from her eyes to the ground beneath her head.

Eventually she felt a slim pair of arms wrap around her, and looked up in surprise to realise Gardevoir was holding her, and the others were off to one side, watching with a mixture of sorrow and pity in their eyes.

Seeking comfort, Tamashī snuggled up to Gardevoir, careful to avoid the spike on the Psychic-type's chest. Held in Gardevoir's embrace she cried until she couldn't any longer, and fell asleep from exhaustion not long after, her head filled with nightmares not so dissimilar to what she had just experienced.

The next two days were rather quiet and, if nothing else, depressing for Tamashī. Even with comfort and support from the other pokémon, she still found it difficult to cope with what had happened. She still wished things could've gone differently, but she also knew that she hadn't had a choice. She had never felt as horrible as she felt in the aftermath of that day.

Thus, when she was taken before Lawrence again in the late afternoon of the second day, she was highly tempted to attack him, even if it would end up doing more harm than good.

"I know you must be angry with me-"

Not caring about being polite anymore she cut him off to say, "That's a complete understatement. Right now I would like nothing better than to rip you dick off."

Unfazed by her words, he continued. "I know you must be angry with me, but I only did what I did because I know you needed it as much as I wanted it. How could I possibly let such a beautiful creature suffer so?"

Barely restraining herself she said, "What you did has caused me more suffering than any lack of sex ever could! You have ruined my life in every possible way! You took me from my mate, imprisoned me in this awful place, and when that wasn't enough, you decided to force me to…to…" Shaking with anger she couldn't bring herself to finish that sentence, the memories still too fresh and too painful.

"Well, I've said it before, and so I shall reiterate myself. Some day you will come to appreciate what I've given you here. A safe, comfortable home where all of your needs will always be met, and where, if you just follow a few simple guidelines, you can live a long, happy life."

Just as she was about to come back with a scathing retort, she turned in shock at the sound of explosive force and splintering wood coming from the far side of the estate.


	15. Chapter 12: Reunion

"Was blowing the door open at all necessary?"

"I don't know about necessary, but it was more fun than just opening it."

Once they had made it to Lawrence's estate, Valor and Galen had spent a few hours watching the movements of the guards and figuring out how to go in. After they had it all planned out they had snuck in, taken out the exterior guards, and then dealt with a small militia force of more organized men who were now all unconscious on the ground. Having made it through the first line of defence, they had faced the issue of two imposing and tightly locked front doors. Valor had suggested trying to pick the lock or using another form of surreptitious entry.

Galen had a different plan in mind, namely using a blast of pure, fiery red Aura-that looked strikingly similar to the black lightning Faerin had used in Lilycove-to totally obliterate the doors.

Valor gave an exasperated sigh, fighting back irritation. "We could have just slipped in quietly."

Galen scoffed. "No we couldn't have. Didn't you notice the security cameras? They already know were here."

"Okay, fine. What about being careful? I mean, what if Tamashī had been behind those doors? You could have really injured somebody!"

"I already knew no one was behind the door. Or have you forgotten that we can kind of tell where other people are?"

"No I haven't forgotten, but it was still-"

"Freeze!"

They both turned in response to the new voice, and were greeted by the sight of five men in the entryway of the mansion, all of them carrying rifles, and all of them pointed at the two of them.

Galen sighed. "We'll have to finish this later." Directing his attention at the man who had spoken, Galen said, "Look, I don't want to have to fight you guys. I think it should be clear by all the people out here that are lying unconscious on the ground that we can take you. So, just put the guns down, and walk away. This doesn't have to be violent. I gave the same option to the guards outside, and they didn't take it. Don't make the same mistake."

It was quiet for a moment, then the man spoke again, a suspicious look in his eyes. "Why would you just let us go like that?"

"Because, I don't want to cause unnecessary harm-"

Valor scoffed. "Says the guy who blew up the door."

Galen threw him a dirty look, then continued. "And because you can be better than this. You don't have to spend your life taking orders from a sadistic creep like Lawrence."

It became clear after a minute that despite what he was offering them, they weren't going to lower their weapons. Galen let out a disappointed sigh. "All right then, let's get this over with."

The weapons all discharged a second later, but anticipating that, Galen and Valor had both created Aura shields in front of them to halt the projectiles. The guards started backing away in fear at the sight of them blocking the theoretically deadly attack so easily. "So, you've seen us defend. Does anyone really want to see us on the offensive?"

With little hesitation they laid down their weapons and ran out past the two of them. With a satisfied smirk Galen said, "Well, that went better than expected."

"Whatever. Let's just get Tamashī and get out of here." Without waiting for a response Valor set off into the mansion, headed straight for where he could see the familiar green glow of Tamashī's Aura, Galen trailing a few meters behind.

"What the hell is going on?"

Ever since the sound of the explosion Lawrence had been using his intercom system to try to get information from his guards. Thus far he had been relatively unsuccessful, and his irritation was only serving to add to Tamashī's amusement.

From her place sitting on the small white sofa that occupied an off center position in the middle of the room, Tamashī watched with ever increasing interest. "What's wrong Lawrence? I thought your guards were supposed to be able to deal with this kind of stuff."

"Be silent!" Returning his attention to the intercom, Lawrence repeated his question to the guard at the other end.

A response came a few seconds later. "We…uh…were not entirely sure, sir. From what we can tell from the camera feeds, two men have made their way onto the property, and have effectively dealt with every guard that has gotten in their way."

"How?"

"I don't know sir. They seem to be using some kind of…energy pulses…or something."

Upon hearing that Tamashī burst out laughing. Barely maintaining his composure Lawrence turned to her and asked, "What is so funny?"

"What's so funny _Master_, is that I was right, and you were wrong." With a triumphant smile she said, "My mate has come for me, and by the sound of it he has help. You're finished."

"Help? Who would he go to for help? And how are they fighting off my guards? They have guns for Arceus's sake!"

Tamashī shrugged. "If I had to guess, his help is probably our friend Galen. He's about the only person Valor would trust to help. However, I have absolutely no idea as to how they are dealing with your guards."

Lawrence was now shaking with rage. "This. Is. Unacceptable."

"And yet it's happening. I repeat, you're finished. Valor will come get me, beat the crap out of you, and that will be the end of it. Your world is about to come crashing down around you."

"You insolent little-"

"Bitch?" Tamashī suggested with a smirk.

Without warning Lawrence smacked her across the face, breathing heavily with frustration. She slowly turned her head back to look at him, her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Go ahead. Keep doing things like that. Just one more reason for my mate to beat you within an inch of your life."

Lawrence gave a deranged sort of chuckle. "I've seen you 'mate'. He's not the type to go around fighting people."

"Normally you'd be right, but when it comes to protecting me, he's always willing to fight."

"Then he will die fighting."

As Valor and Galen came around a corner the large wood doors of Lawrence's study came into view. However, there were also two guards, each wearing a bullet proof vest and armed with a hand gun. They opened fire on sight, forcing Galen and Valor to duck back around the corner for cover.

"What now?"

Galen was quiet for a moment. "Alright, we're gonna have to coordinate this carefully. I want you to create a shield across the opening here."

Valor nodded. "Then what?"

"I haven't gotten that far yet."

"What?!"

"Just do it!"

Worried about what the result of Galen's 'plan' would be, Valor reluctantly created a field of shimmering green energy across the gap, effectively blocking the incoming bullets. Galen then stepped out from around the corner, and closed his eyes, looking as though he were concentrating on something. After a moment his whole body started glowing bright red. His eyes suddenly snapped open, and in a seemingly effortless motion he fired two blasts of Aura straight through Valor's shield, hitting the guards and knocking them out cold, causing them to slump against and slide down the walls on either side of the doors.

Valor let the shield dissipate, staring at Galen in disbelief as the fiery red glow faded from his friend's body. "How the hell did you do that?"

Galen waved a hand dismissively. "It was simple. I just had to concentrate and match the energy flow and pulse frequency of your shield. Once I did that, I just had to fire."

"Yeah, it sounds _really_ simple. You know, one of these days you need to go through and explain how it is you went from being the average guy you were in Twinleaf Town to being, well, you."

"It's a long story kid, and we have more important things to do right now." Gesturing to the doors he said, "After you."

"Based on what I'm hearing from outside, my rescuers have arrived."

"You won't be 'escaping' any time soon, my pretty blue friend." Lawrence roughly grabbed Tamashī by the arm, pulling her off the couch and up to his eye level. "You are MINE, and I will not be handing you over to anyone."

As if to fly straight in the face of what he had just said, the doors to the room were blown open at that moment, the intricately carved wood being broken into hundreds of shards. Through the cloud of dust and debris came Valor and Galen, both looking ready for a fight. Without ant hesitation Lawrence pulled Tamashī in closer to him, pulled his gun out of his suit, and placed the barrel straight against her head. "Not another step gentlemen, or her brain will become a stain on my walls."

They stopped cold, Valor with a look of unrivalled rage on his face, and Galen looking strangely calm despite the situation. Clenching and unclenching his fists in an effort to restrain his aggression, Valor spoke. "Let her go Lawrence. Right NOW."

Lawrence let out a sadistic, deranged sort of chuckle at Valor's command. "You my young friend, are in no place to make demands. Now, why don't we try to handle this in a civilized manner?"

Trembling with a mixture of fear and anger, Tamashī dared to speak her mind to the man holding her. "There is isn't anything _civilized _about you, you sadistic son of a-"

Lawrence cut her off by knocking the gun against her head, causing Valor to take a step forward, only to be stopped by Galen stretching his arm out in front of him. "Don't Valor. I know you're angry, but you need to stay in control."

Valor reluctantly stepped back, knowing Galen was right. It was then that Lawrence tilted his head to one side, looking at Galen as though he were seeing him for the first time. "Have we met somewhere before?"

A slightly twisted smile spread across Galen's face then. "Oh, so you don't remember me? Let me see if I can refresh your memory. Cerulean City. Nine years ago. You shot me in the arm, then tried to kill me a few minutes later. Then, after you were knocked on you ass, I warned you that if I ever found out you were involved in some kind of illegal activity again, I would hunt you down and make sure you regretted it."

Lawrence's eyes went wide as recognition hit him, and he then proceeded to tighten his grip on Tamashī. "Yes. I remember you now."

Galen started moving forward, a dark look in his eyes. "Good. Then what comes next shouldn't be a surprise."

"Hold it right there! Any closer, and she loses her life!"

Galen ignored the warning and continued walking toward Lawrence, much to Valor's dismay. "Galen, listen to him! Tamashī's life is on the line here!"

"I'm aware."

Tamashī's eyes widened with fear. Surly he didn't intend to sacrifice her for the sake of revenge? "Galen, what are you doing?!"

Without taking his eyes off Lawrence, Galen responded as he continued forward, step by step. "Don't worry Tamashī. I know what I'm doing."

Lawrence smirked. "I don't believe you do. Either you stop now, or it's all over for Tamashī."

"I don't think so."

"Very well then, you have brought this outcome through your own foolishness."

"WAIT DON'T!"

Ignoring Valor, Lawrence pulled the trigger with a final cruelly victorious smile, which quickly changed to a look of confusion when nothing happened. With a smirk, Galen asked, "What's wrong Lawrence? Your little toy not working?"

Taking advantage of Lawrence's distraction and confusion, Valor fired off a blast of Aura, knocking the firearm from the man's hand. With his grip now loosened, Tamashī had enough space to blast his midriff, breaking completely free of his grip, but stumbling and landing on all fours in the process. As Lawrence reeled backwards, Galen rushed forward, grabbed him by the head with one hand, and slammed his head in to the carpeted floor, knocking him out cold.

With Lawrence no longer a threat, Valor rushed to Tamashī's side, a look of concern colouring his features. "Tamashī, are you alright?"

Without warning she essentially tackled him, wrapping her arms tightly around his midsection, nuzzling his chest and neck as he struggled to stay on his feet. "I'm fine. I'm just glad you came for me."

With a small smile he wrapped his arms around her, holding her as close as he could. "Of course I did. I couldn't just leave you with him. Especially…not when…this was…all my fault."

Sensing the guilt in his voice, Tamashī looked up into his eyes. "Valor, don't worry about it. You came for me. That's all I care about."

He shook his head in response. "I can't not worry about it. If it weren't for my arrogance and idiocy, none of this would have happened. I'm sorry."

"I know you are, but you can let it go. I don't care. It's all over now." Before he could respond she stretched up, taking him in a gentle kiss.

When she pulled away a moment later, he let out a contented sigh. "Alright then, as long as you're safe, I guess I can let it go. I love you, Tamashī."

"I love you too. And Valor?"

"Yeah?"

"You need a haircut."

While Valor and Tamashī were enjoying their reunion, Galen had other things on his mind. He knelt down by Lawrence, checking the man's pulse. "Still alive. Not sure whether that's a good thing or not."

Galen stood up, actually taking the time to look at his surroundings now that the majority of the danger had passed. The manor was quite impressive, though he hated to admit it. "Hell of a house you've built yourself Lawrence. Too bad it was built on the backs and bones of better men than you."

"Hey, Galen!"

He turned in response, but didn't react in time to avoid having Valor's fist strike him across the face. Galen reeled back a few steps, caught totally off guard by the assault. "What the hell are you doing Valor?!"

"I could ask you the same! What were you thinking?! You put Tamashī in danger for your own selfish needs! It was just dumb luck that Lawrence's gun didn't work!"

Galen sighed with exasperation. "You idiot, she was never in any danger! It wasn't dumb luck, it was all part of my plan! I created a small shield inside the chamber of the gun to keep the bullet from firing!"

Valor blinked in surprise. "Wait…you can do that?"

Galen nodded. "Yeah. And I couldn't tell you, or it wouldn't have worked out."

Valor bowed his head, a sheepish sort of expression on his face. "Oh. I see. Well then, I'm sorry I punched you."

Galen waved a hand dismissively. "It's fine, I probably would have felt the same in your position."

Tamashī chose to chime in then, her voice ringing out in both of their minds. "Planned or not, I don't particularly care for thinking that I'm about to have my head blown off."

Galen smiled apologetically. "Yeah, sorry about that. If I had been given a bit more time, I might have come up with something else, but I had no idea how long he would hold off on shooting for."

"I get it, I just don't like it. Anyway, is he still alive?" She asked, jerking her head toward Lawrence.

"Yeah, he's just knocked out. Might have killed him if the carpet and floor weren't so damn soft, but, I'd rather not be a killer."

"I guess I get that too. Now, can somebody _please_ get this collar off me?"

Valor rushed over to her and immediately started to loo for a way to remove the black circlet around her neck. After a minute he took a step back, looking at it in confusion. "I have no idea how to get this thing off."

"He had a control for the shock function on his wrist. Maybe there's a release button." Tamashī suggested.

"Hold on, it's a SHOCK COLLAR?!"

Tamashī gently placed a paw on Valor's shoulder. "Calm down. It's like I said before, it's all over now. Don't worry about it. I get that your angry about everything that has happened, but please, just let it go."

Valor sighed. "Fine. For you, I'll let it go."

"I think this should do it."

The two of them looked over to Galen, who was kneeling beside Lawrence again. Galen gingerly pressed one of the buttons on the black band of metal around Lawrence's wrist, and with a slight snap the collar around Tamashī's neck opened. She immediately pulled it off and threw it across the room, glad to finally be rid of it.

Seeing her pull the collar from her neck set off a bell in Valor's memory, prompting him to reach around to the back of his neck to untie the red ribbon of her Soothe Bell. Pulling it from his neck he held it out for her to take. "I think you would prefer this, right?"

Her face lit up at the sight. "My bell! I thought I had lost it. You had it this whole time?"

He nodded with a smile. "I was keeping it safe for you."

She took the bell, and tied it around her own neck, tweaking it once to hear the beautiful sound produced by the little silver sphere. "I've really missed this." Looking back to him she added, "And I've really missed you."

He gently wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in close. "I've missed you too."

"Hey kid, sorry to ruin the moment, but we should get out of here."

Valor reluctantly separated himself from Tamashī, though he knew Galen was right. Tamashī seemed to have something else in mind though. "Hold on, we can't leave yet. I won't leave without the others."

Valor canted his head with a quizzical expression. "Others?"

Tamashī nodded. "The other pokémon that were imprisoned here with me."

Galen ran a hand through his hair, considering that. "Well, I couldn't leave them here with a clean conscience. Alright, you two go get the other pokémon, and then come back here."

"Hold on, what are you going to do?"

"Don't worry about it Valor, just hurry up."

Valor considered arguing, but he decided it would just be a waste of time, and with Tamashī leading the way they set off through the mansion. A few minutes of working their way through the twisting corridors brought them to the set of glass doors leading out to the enclosed forest. They made their way through the foliage until they arrived at the waterfall pool, where Gardevoir, Lopunny and Lilligant all were, each looking rather confused. Hearing their approach, the three turned to look, and all immediately acquired looks of even greater confusion. Gardevoir was the one to voice the questions in all of their minds. "Tamashī, what's going on? We heard explosions, then our collars all just…popped off. And who is this with you?"

Tamashī smirked. "Well, this would be Valor, my mate."

Their collective jaws dropped in surprise. Leaning close to Tamashī, Valor whispered, "You uh…you didn't mention that one of them was a Gardevoir."

"So? Is that a problem?"

"No, it's…not like Gardevoirs make me nervous, or worried for my well being or anything."

"Don't worry, she's nice, and _probably_ won't rape you." Tamashī said with a mischievous smile.

"Excuse me, but what are you two whispering about?"

They turned back to face the trio of pokémon, Valor cringing slightly at the sound of the Psychic-type's voice in his mind. Tamashī hesitated, then said, "Well, uh…Valor…is a little…skittish when it comes to Gardevoirs."

"Why?"

The question was directed not at Tamashī, but at Valor himself. He crossed his arms and looked away, avoiding Gardevoir's gaze. "I'd rather not talk about it."

Deciding to stop the conversation for the sake of her mate's dignity, Tamashī said, "Look, we really don't have time for this right now. You three head to Lawrence's study, there's a friend of ours waiting there."

Though she wished to pursue the topic, Gardevoir valued a chance at freedom more, so, along with Lopunny and Lilligant, headed into the mansion, bound for the now somewhat destroyed study. When they were gone, Tamashī turned back toward the pool and telepathically called out, "Milotic, you can come out. We have a chance to get out of here!"

Valor gave her a sideways look of confusion. "Milotic?"

Tamashī gave an affirmative nod. "Yeah. She's kind of shy."

"So, you…made friends with a snake pokémon?"

Tamashī smirked. "Why do you say that as though it's strange?"

"Because-"

Valor was cut off by the emergence of Milotic from the pool, water coming off her body in sheets. She immediately voiced what sounded like a question, and Valor as usual had to rely on Tamashī for a translation. "Are…are we really getting out?"

Tamashī nodded. "This is my mate. He came here to get me, and you and the others are coming with us."

Milotic seemed over joyed for a moment, but then her expression changed to one of concern. "Um…I'm not really made for traveling over land. I'm built for swimming. How am I supposed to come along?"

Tamashī was stumped into silence by that, having given it no prior consideration. It was Valor who offered the solution. Directing his attention to the Water-type he said, "Well, if you were a wild pokémon when you were taken by Lawrence, then I could catch you, and bring you along like that."

Milotic was surprised to say the least, but as she rolled the idea around in her head, not only did it seem like the only real solution, but she also liked the idea of traveling around with a trainer. Then of course, she also didn't mind the idea of getting to spend more time with Tamashī…

Her mind made up, Milotic nodded with a smile, then moved closer to the shore and to them. Valor quickly pulled an unused Pokéball from his bag, and tapped Milotics forehead with it, transforming the rainbow scaled pokémon into a red ball of light that was drawn into the red and white capsule. The Pokéball twitched three times, then locked, making Milotic the newest addition to Valor's family of pokémon.

Tamashī starred quietly at the little capsule for a moment, then looked to Valor. "So, is she going to become a permanent member of the team? 'Cause, honestly, no one would argue if you used her as a replacement for say…Sangoshou."

Valor chuckled as he attached the ball to his belt. "Yeah, I think I can do that."

The two of them turned and started making their way back through the house to where Galen and the others were waiting for them. As they made their way through the maze of passageways, Tamashī asked, "So, what are you going to name her?"

"I'm not totally sure, but I was thinking I would go with something that means 'Sea Serpent'."

Tamashī gave an approving nod. "Yep, something like that would work."

"So, how did _you_ become friends with _her_?"

Tamashī blushed at the memory. "I'll…uh, I'll tell you later. Now probably isn't the best time."

They shortly arrived at the shattered entrance to Lawrence's study, where Galen-along with the other pokémon-was waiting less than patiently for them to return. "Come on, what took so long? We need to hurry up and get out of here!"

"We were dealing with getting a Milotic travel capable. But, what's the rush?"

Galen picked up a binder from Lawrence's desk, holding it up with a victorious smile. "This, is a record of all of Lawrence's criminal activities over the past year. Smuggling, fraud, black mail, hiring hit men. It's all here. Apparently he liked to keep score of all the people he had screwed over. Once I found this, I made an anonymous call to the Celadon Police Department They'll be here shortly, and this scumbag," Galen delivered a light kick to the unconscious man's side, them continued, "Will be behind bars before you know it."

"That's great, but why do we have to hurry to get out of here?"

Galen gave an exasperated sigh. "Because, if we don't, we'll be arrested for breaking and entering, not to mention assault. I already found and erased all security footage for about the last two hours, so we can basically get out of here without there being any evidence against us but Lawrence's word."

Valor nodded understandingly. "Then what are we waiting for, let's get out of-"

Valor stopped suddenly as the sound of distant sirens reached their ears.

"Shit! We have less time than I thought. Find me a mirror!"

Valor blinked in confusion. "A mirror? How does that help us?"

Galen sighed in frustration. "Just trust me. Get me a mirror, and I can get us out of here. You know what, never mind, I think I have one."

Galen set his bag down on the ground and started rifling through the various pockets. After a moment he produced a small mirror. "I keep this for when I have to shave on the road, but, sacrifices have to be made."

Galen placed his palm against the mirror, then let out a small pulse of Aura, shattering it.

It was quiet for a moment, then Tamashī voiced the question that was on all of their minds. "Okay, I ask: What the hell did that accomplish?"

Galen smiled. "Wait for it."

As the sound of the sirens drew closer, they all began to grow nervous, except for Galen. Then, unbidden, the shadows in the corners of the room seemed to grow darker and denser. As the room fell under an unnatural eclipse, a single point of pure black energy appeared in the center of the room. That point began to expand until it had formed a pulsing vortex of energy that consisted of shades of black, grey, and midnight blue.

Everyone but Galen stared at the portal in disbelief. Valor turned to Galen with an expression of confused disbelief. "_What _is that?!"

Galen shook his head. "No time to explain. Just go through the portal."

"Hell no! I am not getting anywhere near that thing until you explain what it is!"

Galen gave a defeated sigh. "Alright then. Have it your way." Galen grabbed Valor by his shoulders, then proceeded to give him an unceremonious push through the swirling darkness.

Tamashī stared in shock at Galen. "Did you just shove my mate through a swirling vortex of dark energy?"

Galen nodded, then gestured to the portal. "And I'll do the same to you unless you go through willingly. And judging by the sound of those sirens, you don't have long to make a choice."

Tamashī gulped, then turned to the other pokémon. "Come on girls, were going through."

Lopunny snorted. "You don't really expect us to go with this psychopath?"

Tamashī sighed. "Unfortunately, I do."

With clear reluctance, Tamashī and the other pokémon filed through the portal. After they were through, Galen himself stepped through, the swirling disappearing behind him s he stepped out onto solid rock. The others were all there, all looking as though they were going to be sick. With a slight smile Galen said, "Yeah, sorry, I should've warned you guys. The first time going through one of those can make you a bit queasy."

Staggering to his feet, Valor threw Galen an incredibly pissed look. "A _little_ queasy?! That's a massive understatement!"

"You think that's bad, wait till you look around at where we are."

It was then that Valor took a moment to look around, and he immediately wished he hadn't. They were standing on a floating platform of solid rock, which was one of many that seemed to be everywhere. Perhaps the most disturbing thing was that the 'sky'-which was a very dark mix of blues and greys-seemed not only to be above them, but stretched around everything, forming some sort of great dark sphere around...where ever it was they were.

Struggling desperately to maintain his composure and not start freaking out, Valor turned to Galen and asked, "Where…where are we?"

Galen placed a hand on Valor's shoulder with a smile. "Welcome, to the Distortion World."

"The…the Distortion World? As in, the Distortion World, that is home…of the super ancient legendary pokémon Giratina? The pokémon…that was supposedly banished to the Distortion World by Arceus because of its violence?"

"Well, your history is a little inaccurate, but essentially yes."

Valor took a deep breath. "I see. We are all going to die, aren't we?"

Galen gave an amused snort. "No. We're not all going to die. Contrary to popular belief, Giratina isn't some great evil entity. He's actually an old friend of mine."

Having recovered from her nausea, Tamashī said with a bemused smile, "You of all people would be friends with a legendary pokémon that is said to rival the strength of Palkia and Dialga."

Valor stared at her in disbelief. "How are you not freaking out about this?! We are in the _Distortion World_! A world where the laws of space and time are said to be null and void!"

"Yes, and? If Galen's not worried about it, I don't see why we should be. Besides, I think it's rather clear that Galen has been here before. I would imagine he knows what he's talking about."

Galen nodded. "Remember how I told you in Snowpoint that I had a really quick method of travel? Well, this would be it. Because you're right, the laws of space and time are-as the name 'Distortion World' would suggest-distorted. You can walk a mile in here, and it could be twenty in our world. It all depends on where you came out of this world."

"Oh. Well, that's nice. So, tell me, when did YOU ALL GO INSANE?! Why are we acting like all of this is ordinary? Like this happens everyday? This is not normal! How the hell did we even get in here?"

"We aren't insane, and for me this is fairly ordinary. As for getting in here, Giratina opened that portal we came through." Galen answered.

By this point Gardevoir, Lopunny and Lilligant had also recovered from coming through the portal, and were all now watching what was going on before them with increasing levels of interest. Tamashī on the other hand was growing increasingly concerned, as she had never seen Valor behave the way he was now. "Valor, please calm down. I don't like seeing you like this. You acting like this isn't normal either."

Gardevoir chose that moment to chime in, her voice sounding in all of their minds. "Tamashī is right. You don't need to be so freaked out."

Valor slowly turned to face the Psychic-type. "You be quiet. I don't want to hear anything from you. Just stay out of my head."

Gardevoir stared back at him, trying to make sense of that response. "What is your problem with me? I didn't do anything to you. Tamashī said you have some kind of problem with Gardevoirs. What is that about? I'd really like to know, because right now you're starting to piss me off."

"What is my problem with Gardevoirs? You really want to know? Fine. I have a problem with Gardevoirs, because the last one I had any involvement with was a psychopathically sadistic male Gardevoir who telekinetically bent me over at his trainer's command, then proceeded to _fuck_ _me against my will_. Then, a little less than two weeks later, I have a run in with the same damn Gardevoir, who freezes me in place, then takes control of my mind and forces me to mentally re-experience what he did to me. _That_ is why I have a problem with Gardevoirs. That is why I don't trust them, and why I would appreciate it if you stayed out of my head."

His explanation had shocked Gardevoir into silence by the end, but had the opposite effect on both Galen and Lopunny, who both burst out laughing when he finished. Upon seeing the look on Valor's face Galen stifled himself and quietly said, "Sorry. That's uh…not funny."

Lopunny on the other hand continued until she simply couldn't breath anymore, finally stopping a few minutes later. During that time Gardevoir had done her best to choose a few careful words to respond to Valor's explanation with. "Valor, I can understand being upset about having sex forced upon you like that. But you know, most of us Gardevoirs aren't like that. As a species we tend to be very gentle and protective. You don't have to be scared of us over the actions of one member of our species. Besides, it's rather well known that male Gardevoirs can be a little…unstable."

Valor took a slow, deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. "I…I know that Gardevoirs aren't all like that. I just…feel uneasy when it comes to them, because I can't stand the idea of another one of them taking control of me like that."

Gardevoir gave an understanding nod. "I know what you mean. For almost two years I've been at the mercy of a sadistic human's needs, but I'm still willing to judge humans based on the individuals, not on the actions of one. Don't you think you could do the same?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I should-" Valor stopped cold. "What do you mean you've been at the mercy of a human's needs?"

Gardevoir blinked in surprise at the question. "Didn't Tamashī tell you? Lawrence…well he…" She trailed off, but she didn't need to finish for Valor to get her meaning.

He turned to Tamashī, who immediately looked away from him. "Tamashī, you didn't…I mean, he didn't…do that…to you, did he?"

Avoiding his looking at him, and with clear reluctance, she nodded. "He did. I had no choice. He…threatened you. I had to, or you would have suffered for it."

Valor walked over to where she was standing, and gently wrapped his arms around her, drawing her in close. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry that you had to go through that…especially because it's my fault. Just like all of this has been. I'm sorry."

She snuggled against him, taking comfort in his embrace. "I'll be fine. Just, please stop blaming yourself." Then, making sure he was the only one who could hear her, she said, "You know, now I understand. I understand why you let Aitana's Gardevoir do that to you. I also understand just how horrible you must have felt afterward. How…how did you ever get over it?"

"I never really did. Though…the feelings fade with time, the memories never really do. You just kind of have to…keep going, and not let it take over your life. For me, I just focused more on…well, how I feel about you. That got me through the days after it happened. Understand?"

She nodded. She understood, but she still couldn't stop the tears forming at the corners of her eyes. Seeing this, Valor gently wiped away the forming droplets. "It'll probably be a while, but eventually the emotions about it will go away. It really just takes time. And I'm always here if you need me."

Sniffling slightly, she gave another short nod. "I know you are. I would rather it had never happened, but, I'm glad that I have you to help me through it."

Valor hugged her tightly again, then said, "Come on, we should get going." He turned to Galen and the others, who had all turned to look away from them while they were talking. "Galen? We can go now. Lead the way, would you?"

Galen hesitated for a moment, then quietly nodded, a set off along the path of rock platforms that floated before them. The others set off after him, with Valor and Tamashī bringing up the rear, walking close to each other, him holding her paw in his hand as they went along.

When Lawrence had woken he had found himself in handcuffs, his house full of police, and on top of that, not only could he not remember anything from about the last hour or so, but his skull was throbbing with pain. He did know one thing though: someone had attacked his home, found his files, then left them for the police to find. Unfortunately, those files had been full of the kind of evidence and records that lands one almost instantly in a prison.

He now sat in an interrogation room in the Celadon Police Department, waiting for someone to come and question him on what had happened. His hands were still cuffed, and his head was still hurting despite the pain killers he had been provided with. As he sat there he struggled to work through the haze that clouded his memories, trying to figure out how he had wound up in this situation.

After sitting at the silvery table in that windowless room for almost an hour, the door opened, and in walked a man with auburn hair who was wearing a light grey trench coat. Lawrence could tell immediately that he wasn't a police officer. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

With a congenial sort of smile the man said, "My name is Zyle. I am here to question you on behalf of InterPol, or, as you probably know us, the International Police. I am one of InterPol's Kanto operatives, and this has been brought to our attention." Zyle punctuated the sentence by dropping the binder full of Lawrence's records on the table.

Zyle pulled out the chair across from Lawrence and sat down. "It would appear as though you've been rather busy. Criminal acts encircling the globe, including multiple counts of blackmail, illegal shipping operations, having people killed in your name, and that's all just in the last year or so. I would shudder to think what you've done in the last ten, or fifteen years."

"Would you please just get to the 'questioning' portion of this?"

"As you wish." Over the course of the next half hour Zyle asked various questions about the contents of the records. Once he had everything he needed to know, Zyle closed the binder full of files, giving a small sigh of relief. "I'm glad that's over. You have done some really twisted shit, you know that?"

Feeling a bit ore back to his usual self by this time, Lawrence gave a derisive snort. "I am aware of what I have done. After all, how else would I have gotten to where I am?"

"You sicken me. Unfortunately for me, this isn't over quiet yet. I also need to ask you what led to the state of your home and your person when you were arrested."

Lawrence gave a dismissive wave. "I honestly have no idea. I can't remember a thing. I think who ever was behind it must have hit me over the head at some point. It would certainly explain why my head was throbbing when I woke up."

Zyle nodded. "Yeah, I was told that you were believed to have a low grade concussion. So, you don't remember anything, anything at all?"

"Didn't I already say I don't remember anything? Are you going to keep wasting my time?"

Zyle stood with an exasperated sigh. "No, I do believe I'm done here. At this point Lawrence, even though you might make bail, you will most certainly end up proven guilty in court. Enjoy you cell."

As Zyle made to walk out, a thought occurred to Lawrence. "Hold on, before you go, when the police were in my home, were there…any pokémon? Any where in my home?"

Zyle turned back to face him, a confused look on his face. "No. Just you, some very scared servants, and a lot of unconscious guards-all of which are under questioning, just as you are. Why?"

Lawrence then began to laugh. It started as a low sort of chuckle, then slowly it grew louder, and gained a sadistic, psychotic sort of edge to it, causing Zyle to feel a mixture of dread and concern. "Dare I ask what is so funny?"

Catching his breath, Lawrence responded to the question. "I…I do believe I can tell you who is behind what occurred in my home. You see, I was a bit of a collector of rare and beautiful pokémon. Through hiring Pokémon Hunters, I recently acquired a Lucario from her trainer."

"And you're saying this trainer is the one who broke into your home? Just for his Lucario?"

Lawrence nodded. "Of course, he had a rather interesting reason for coming after her. You see, Zyle, this trainer-Valor-and his Lucario-Tamashī-have a very interesting relationship."

The sun was setting on the forest. In a small clearing near the edge of the forest, the shadows suddenly grew denser, and a shadowy portal opened. The first one to come through the vortex was Galen, followed by Tamashī, then Valor, and finally the other three came tumbling out, all of them but Galen looking as though they were going to be sick.

Taking in slow, deliberate breaths to avoid vomiting, Valor said, "I…thought…it was…only…the first time…that would make us queasy."

With a snicker Galen said, "No, I said the first time would make you queasy. I never said it was _only_ the first time. It usually takes three or four to get used to it."

"You're an ass."

"Well, maybe a little bit." Taking a look around Galen added, "I'm going to set up camp here. I don't know about you guys, but I'm exhausted. We can get back to civilization tomorrow."

When there were no arguments, he got started, and an hour or so later three tents had been erected in a triangular ring around a small fire. They all wound up seated around the cheery little blaze, in a formation similar to that of the tents. Galen sat on side of the fire, Lopunny, Gardevoir, and Lilligant were bunched together on another side of it, and Valor and Tamashī sat on the third side. Tamashī was sitting in Valor's lap, leaning back against him, sound asleep.

While Valor was trying to stay still so as not to wake her, his mind was incredibly busy. Before nodding off, she had told him about everything that had happened to her while in Lawrence's home. Some of it had only served to solidify his hatred for the man, but some of it, such as how she had come to befriend Milotic, or Umi, as he had decided to name her, simply dumbfounded him, not to mention making him blush profusely when ever he thought about it.

The other three pokémon were watching Valor with mild interest, finding his less than well hidden thoughts to be somewhat amusing. Leaning close to Gardevoir, Lopunny whispered, "You know, even though he seems a little high strung, I can see why Tamashī likes him. He's cute, you know, for a human."

Gardevoir gave a tired sort of sigh, looking at Lopunny with more than a little exhaustion. "Lopunny, keep your crotch to yourself for once."

"I didn't say I wouldn't!"

"You don't have to say it. It's you. I've known you for long enough to know what you're thinking -and that's without reading your mind."

"What, are you saying I'm predictable?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

Lilligant stifled a giggle, finding amusement in in the back and forth going on between them.

Lopunny turned to the Grass-type, an irritated look on her furry face. "What are you laughing about?"

Lilligant shook her head in amusement. "You. Both of you. It's strange how little we have changed, despite the fact that we have our freedom back. Even with everything that's going on, you two still squabble like a flock of Starlies."

Lopunny and Gardevoir looked at each other for a moment, then they both started laughing, as they realised that Lilligant was correct. Even with the sudden changes in their lives, they were still the same.

Drawn from his thoughts by the laughter of the trio of pokémon, Valor decided to just accept what Tamashī had told him, as there was nothing he could really do about it, and obsessing wouldn't do any good. Now he had another concern he wanted to address.

He looked over to Galen, who was now lying on his back, looking up at the night sky. "Hey, Galen, can I ask you something?"

Galen pushed himself up into a sitting position, and said, "You just did, but I suppose another question wouldn't hurt."

Ignoring his friend's attempt at a joke, Valor started to explain. "When I was in Lilycove, and I fought Faerin, he used this attack against me-that I barely managed to dodge-that was like a bolt of black lightning. Then today, you used a similar-in fact almost identical-attack to destroy the front doors of Lawrence's home. It looks like it's really powerful, and I was thinking it could be useful in the future. Do you think you would be able to teach me how to do that?"

Galen almost immediately shook his head. "No. It's an attack that is usually only used by those who control dark Aura. I learned how to use it through a lucky accident. I'm not sure if how I did it would work in a teaching capacity. But…"

"But what?"

"I can't tell you how to use it, but keep this in mind: If you ever truly need that kind of power, if ever you need to protect something that much that you would risk giving in to darker emotions, then remember that great amounts of power can be found in a technique you already know."

Valor gave a weary sigh. "Why the hell do you have to be so enigmatic all the time? And what do you mean 'risk giving in to darker emotions'?"

"One, I'm enigmatic because, well, I am. As for the darker emotions part, you have to enjoy the pain and destruction of an attack like that, at least the first time you use it. If you can gain control of yourself after that, then you don't have to worry about it. For me, I learned how to use it at a time when I lost all control of my anger. And believe me when I say, you should pray that you never see me-or any other Guardian with a red Aura-when they become truly angry. Luckily, there only four or five Guardians with red Auras."

Valor was about to say something, but forgot what when Tamashī stirred in his lap, waking from her nap with a very toothy yawn. Stifling a laugh he asked, "Sleep well?"

Though she knew he was teasing her, she quietly nodded and snuggled back against him saying, "I had forgotten how comfortable it is to sleep on top of you. I haven't slept this so in a month."

Not for the first time that day, Valor felt a pang of guilt and regret. Though she had told him not to blame himself, he couldn't help but do exactly that. He quickly pushed those thoughts from his mind, trying not to think about it too much. "Well, if your that tired, maybe we should go to bed." he suggested.

It was Galen who responded, saying, "Actually, we should all get some sleep. The Distortion World Portal brought us out between Celadon City and Saffron City, but it's still gonna take a little while to get to Saffron from here."

Without waiting for a response, Galen got to his feet, and walked over to his tent. As he was about to close the flap he said, "Oh, and if you two decide to celebrate your reunion at any point, please try to keep it quiet."

Valor blushed and Tamashī giggled at what he was suggesting. Tamashī was the one who responded, saying, "No promises, but we'll try."

Valor shook his head as Galen's tent was zipped closed. "Don't encourage him please."

As he said this, the other pokémon all got up and retreated to the tent that Galen had put up for them, Gardevoir bidding them goodnight before their tent too was zipped shut.

"Come on sweetheart, let's go to our tent, shall we?"

"Carry me."

Valor started to laugh, but then realised she wasn't joking. "But, the tent is like ten feet away. I'm pretty sure you can make it on your own."

She shook her head most emphatically. "Nope. Too far."

Valor shook his head, a bemused smile on his face. "Alright then, I guess I have no choice."

Against her protests he wormed his way out from under her, then turned so that he was crouching with his back to her. "Well, grab on."

She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, then he carefully took hold of her legs and stood up, carrying her on his back. As he had said the tent was rather close by, so it didn't take long for him to carry her over to it. Once inside he gently set her down on top of the sleeping bag that was already laid out there, which she quickly snuggled herself into. With an ever so slightly exhausted sigh he asked, "Do you think you could move over enough for me to fit in there?"

With a playful sort of smile and a tone of mock sarcasm she said, "Oh, I suppose."

Valor pulled off his shirt and was in the sleeping bag with her only a moment later. It was a tight fit, but after being apart from each other, neither minded at all. Though she was glad to be back in his arms, she said, "Despite what Galen may think, I'm not really in a…sex sort of mood. If you don't mind, I'd rather just make due with cuddling tonight."

With a gentle smile Valor said, "That's fine. I understand. Goodnight Tamashī."

He tightened his embrace for a moment, then loosened up again and closed his eyes. Tamashī gently nuzzled him once then did the same, thinking not for the first time that she was glad to be back with him.

Unfortunately for her, her earlier nap seemed to have had the unfortunate effect of making it difficult for her to fall asleep. Though her eyes were closed, she felt very awake all of a sudden. For almost half an hour she tried to relax enough to fall asleep, but found herself unable to do so. Realising the futility of her efforts she opened her eyes, her vision quickly adjusting to the darkness.

She smiled softly as she watched her mate sleep. She had missed that too. She so often woke up before him, that she had spent a fair amount of time simply watching the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he slept. As she looked upon his face, she felt a pang of sorts, but not in her heart.

She gulped as she realised that for some reason or another, she was becoming aroused. She bit her lip, debating with herself for a minute, then she decided she really didn't have a choice. With a gentle tap to his shoulder she quietly said, "Valor, wake up."

His eyes slowly opened, struggling to adjust to the darkness. "What's going on? Is it almost morning?"

Tamashī blushed, and was quiet for a moment before responding. "No. It…actually hasn't been very long since you fell asleep."

"Uh…okay. So what's going on then?"

"Um…you know…how I said…I wasn't really in the mood for more than just cuddling? Well…that has kind of changed."

It took a few seconds for that to register, but when it did a grin spread across Valor's face, which quickly changed to a look of concern. "Are you sure about that? I mean…with everything that has happened…to you…"

He trailed off, but he didn't have to finish. She understood his concern. "I know what you mean, but Valor, I haven't had enjoyable sex with a male in almost a month, and so help me I'm going to tonight, whether you want to or-"

She was cut off as he took her in a passionate kiss. When he pulled away he smiled and said, "Believe me, I want to. I haven't had any sex in a month. How do you think I feel?"

She giggled, then kissed him, slipping her tongue between his lips and into his mouth, both enjoying the feeling of her tongue sliding along his. Tamashī was less than pleased when he pulled away a moment later to remove his remaining articles of clothing. Though she knew why humans wore clothing, she had often thought it to be rather inconvenient. The moment he was completely undressed she was on top of him, his rapidly growing length pressing against her already moist entrance.

He was already breathing heavily, and it occurred to her that he wouldn't last very long in his current state. Without a word she turned her body around and took his swelling member into her mouth, only increasing its rate of growth, and drawing a sharp intake of breath from him.

She wrapped her tongue around the throbbing flesh, sliding it around her mouth, giving attention to every inch of it. He had almost forgotten just how wonderful it felt when she did this, and laid his head back with his eyes closed as he enjoyed the sheer ecstasy of the moment.

As she had predicted he didn't last for very long, and a moment later her mouth was flooded with his cream. She allowed it to stay in her mouth for a moment, long enough to enjoy the taste, the salty flavour that she hadn't even realised she missed, before swallowing it all in a single gulp.

Satisfied that he would now be able to endure a proper breeding session, she turned herself back around so they were face to face once more, sparkling red eyes meeting bright blue in the darkness.

She gently slid her paw down between them, being careful to avoid cutting or jabbing him with her wrist spike, and guided his still stiff manhood to her now dripping entrance. As they didn't have much room in the sleeping bag, she couldn't raise her whole body up, so she settled for keeping her torso flat against his, and raised her hips, then forced herself down to the hilt of his length with the familiar muffled thump of her fur against his skin.

It had been so long now since she had done this, that she felt almost as though he was stretching her for the first time again, a sensation she was finding immensely enjoyable. She started pistoning along his length with what little space she had, and as she increased her speed he firmly grabbed hold of her rear, using the grip as leverage to push her just that much farther down against him.

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, they began mixing their Auras, casting that wonderfully emerald coloured light upon the canvas of the tent as they touched each others souls, feeling the deepest and truest emotions of one another. Both enveloped in that light, they felt as though they were whole once more.

Tamashī and Valor were both breathing heavily by this point, and Valor could swear he was able to smell his fluids on her breath. He didn't have long to enjoy the strangely arousing smell though, as she bit into his right shoulder. It was a fairly gentle bite, but still more than enough to send a shudder of pleasure down his spine.

For her part, Tamashī was struggling not to start moaning with sheer pleasure as she continued to pound away with her hips, each impact driving her into an ever so slightly more frenzied state. She continued to build force and speed, barely keeping herself within limits that would be safe for her mate to take. Valor was getting his favourite pleasure from her biting him, and now it was her turn to feel her favourite sensation.

She kept at it, each motion taking him as deep into her passageway as he could go, until finally the unending impacts caused her cervix to give way, allowing him to slide the top most inch of his length into her most sacred of areas, the opening quickly closing around him just under the tip, limiting their movement even more.

Despite being limited to shorter strokes, Tamashī didn't relent until with one final thrust she was pushed over the edge and into her first proper orgasm in what seemed in that moment to have been years. The rhythmic contractions around his manhood managed to push Valor the rest of the way to an orgasm of his own, directly filling her womb with that ever so slight chance of new life.

As they were now locked together she could do little more than collapse on top of him, though he didn't mind, as it had been just another one of those little things that he had missed while they were apart. He gently wrapped his arms around her, holding her as close as he could.

Neither said a word as they fell asleep in that position, but no words were necessary between them to convey the single phrase that entered both of their minds before they were taken by the world of dreams: I love you.


	16. Interlude III: Complicated

Galen lay awake in his tent, starring up at the dark canvas. Ever since the Distortion World, he had been lost in thought. The images playing through his mind were of days passed, days he usually tried not to think about. They only served to remind him of emotions he would rather not re-experience. Though he didn't want anyone to know what was going on in his head, at that exact moment in time, he felt a strong desire to have someone to talk to.

As if on cue, one of his Pokéballs burst open with a flash of light, temporarily blinding him. When his eyes readjusted he found his Espeon, Clara, sitting beside him, a concerned sort of look in her eyes.

"Galen, what's wrong?" The Psychic-type asked with her telepathy.

"Nothing."

"Liar. I could feel how upset you are through my Pokéball. What's going on?"

He shook his head. "I don't really want to talk about it."

"Why?"

He hesitated, then said, "Because it's complicated."

Clara rolled her eyes. "Uh huh. You know, I'm pretty smart. I could probably keep up."

"I don't know, it's kind of…personal. I've never talked about it with anyone before."

"I can understand that, but don't you think you might feel better if you talk about it?"

Galen gave a sigh of defeat. "You're not gonna let this go until I tell you, are you? Alright then, get comfortable because this is gonna take a while."

Galen sat up, and Clara laid down, an expectant sort of look on her face. Galen took a deep breath, then began. "Today…seeing Valor and Tamashī together…and so happy to be together…it dredged up some really old memories. Memories…of the first time I fell in love."

Clara tilted her head to one side with an inquisitive sort of expression. "You mean with that blue haired girl that you now refer to as a 'crazy bitch'?"

Galen shook his head. "No. I didn't start dating her until almost a year later. This was back home in Twinleaf-or near it anyway. It was eleven years ago, I was only fourteen years old, and I had yet to set out as a Pokémon Trainer."

"You fell in love for the first time when you were fourteen?"

Galen nodded. "Yeah, I did. I've only ever really fallen in love twice, the second time being with the woman I married. But, the first time came with a rather…unusual set of circumstances."

Galen paused for a moment as he considered just what it was he was about to reveal. Taking another deep breath to steady his nerves, then he continued. "In those days, I often went for walks outside of Twinleaf, as it was really the only way for me to spend time around any pokémon at that point. I also enjoyed the experience of just…spending time in nature. But on one particular day, I had an odd sort of encounter on the shores of Lake Verity. As walked along the grassy upper part of the shore, something darted out of the nearby trees and bushes, tackling me to the ground. When I came to my senses I realised that there was now a growling Ninetales pinning me to the ground. For a minute there I thought she was going to attack me, but then, this strange expression crossed her face, as though she recognised me. She almost immediately backed off, and it was at that moment I noticed she was favouring one of her legs. She was hurt, some sort of sprain or something."

Galen paused, both for his sake and to make sure Clara was keeping up. "Even though I wasn't a Trainer yet, I usually saved up my money to buy potions so that if I ran into any injured pokémon, I would be able to help them. I offered to help her with her injury. She seemed a bit suspicious, but she agreed to let heal her."

"Wait, she attacked you, and you offered to heal her injury?"

Galen nodded. "I figured she was probably just defending herself. Anyway, after she was all fixed up, I simply told her to be careful, and as I was turning to walk away I said, 'And in case you wanted to know, my name is Galen'. I started to leave, but I barely made it five feet before she pinned me down again. My first thought at that point was 'why did I heal her?' However, that thought quickly changed to 'Why is she sticking her tongue down my throat?'"

Clara burst out laughing at that. "She did not do that."

"Yes, she did."

"Well, what did you do?"

"The first thing I did was get her off me. Then I very gently told her that I don't go for pokémon. But, she wasn't really taking no for an answer. She got this really pitiful begging sort of look in her eyes, and she sat back on her haunches…exposing herself."

Struggling to keep a straight face, Clara asked, "And how _did_ you respond to that?"

Blushing profusely he continued his story. "At first I tried to look away, but my eyes were kind of…drawn to her. As I looked at her, I realised that she was…incredibly beautiful. Against everything society had ever taught me about how pokémon and humans should interact with each other, we found this secluded little clearing and, well…you know…"

For the first time since their conversation had begun, Clara was totally silent. When she spoke, she was still very quiet. "I just have one question. She _was_ willing in that, right?"

Galen blinked in surprise at the question. "Have you been listening? She came on to me! Besides, do you really think I would have done anything if she wasn't willing?"

"Sorry. I just wanted to make sure. Please, continue."

"Alright then. Well, to say that we…'made love' would be a bit of an understatement. To this day I remember sex with her was the best I've ever had. We had some kind of instant connection, like we had know each other for years. After it was over, we went our separate ways."

Clara raised an eyebrow at him. "And that's why it's a bad memory for you? Because it only happened once?"

Galen shook his head. "No. I'm not done quite yet. A few days later I was at my home and for some reason I couldn't get her out of my head. So, I went back to see if I could find her. I did, and it seemed we had both been having a similar experience after our initial encounter. On that day, we started an actual relationship. Every opportunity I had to get out of town to go see her, I did. Though there was certainly a carnal aspect to our relationship, there were plenty of days that we just spent time together. It was wonderful. We came to spend so much time together that, even though I could never understand her exact words, I always knew what she was saying. And, even though I certainly wasn't a Trainer at that point, I began to think of her as 'my Ninetales'. We loved each other."

He stopped as the memories filled his mind. He could still see her bright orange eyes so clearly in his mind. When he remained silent, Clara asked, "I almost don't want to ask, but what next?"

With very obvious reluctance, Galen continued. "After…about six months of that secretive relationship…we had become unbelievably close. At the end of one particular evening of…passionate activities, I seriously considered spending the night with her, but we both knew that wouldn't end well, so fighting my desire to stay with her I returned home. The next day I couldn't get away until early afternoon, so when I went to the little clearing where we always met-"

"Would that be the same clearing from your first time together?"

Galen nodded. "Yeah. Anyway, when I got there I wasn't really surprised that she wasn't there. I figured she was out looking for food or something. I waited there for hours, but she never showed up. I went back every day for the next week, but she was never there. For some reason, she had just…left. As suddenly as she had entered my life six months prior, she was suddenly gone. I never saw her again."

With out a word, Clara stood up walked close to Galen, and gently nuzzled his neck. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I made you talk about this. I didn't realise just how much pain you were in."

Galen shook his head. "No. I'm glad in a way, because you were right. I do feel a little better having talked about it."

"Well, if you want, I could keep you company. You know, just so you're not alone while you're feeling like this."

Galen smiled. "Sure, I would appreciate that."

Galen laid back down, and Clara snuggled up beside him. Though it wasn't easy, he managed to fall asleep, his dreams filled with images of his lost love.

Deep in a little section of one of the forests of Sinnoh, a Ninetales woke from her slumber, raising her head slightly to see if something had woken her up. Seeing that nothing was there, she laid her head back down on her paws, intending to go back to sleep. But then, she remembered what she had been dreaming about.

It wasn't uncommon for her to dream about the days she had spent with 'her' human, as she missed him greatly, but tonight the dreams had been especially vivid. She had been dreaming of the day she had been forced to leave him. She could remember it so clearly.

She had woken up on the morning of that day feeling different then she usually did. It hadn't taken her long to figure out the reason why. By some miracle, she had gotten pregnant. Her joy had quickly evaporated though. She knew that if she stayed, it would probably cause a lot of problems for her human. It had been the hardest decision she had ever made, but she had left so as to protect him.

She had left without telling him, as she had known he would try to stop her. She could scarcely imagine how much that had hurt him, but she had stuck with her choice, knowing in her heart that it was the right thing to do.

The memory brought a tear to her eye, the single drop of liquid flowing down her muzzle to create a small dark spot in the soil before disappearing. She had lost him for the second time that day. "We never can seem to stay together, can we my love?"

She naturally didn't expect an answer, and thus wasn't surprised when none came. She fell back to sleep a short while later, her dreams full to the brim with her memories of him.


	17. Chapter 13: Everything Falls Apart

The sunrise came warm and gentle the next morning, casting a subtle orange glow on the dew covered plants in the forest. The light filtered through the canvas of the tent, playing across Tamashī's eyes. They fluttered for a moment, then opened, and gave a yawn accompanied by a contented smile. She snuggled against her still sleeping mate's chest, enjoying the feeling of waking with Valor beside-or rather under-her for the first time in so long.

Disturbed from his own sleep by her movements, he woke with a few blinks as his vision came into focus. As soon as he realised that it was in fact her that had-albeit unintentionally-woken him, a soft, loving smile spread on his lips. He hugged her tightly, feeling just as she did: that it was so unbelievably wonderful to be together again.

Tamashī giggled in response to his embrace. "Good morning to you too."

With a playful gleam in his eyes he asked, "Would you prefer I not hug you? And if so what would you prefer?"

"No, I like it when you hug me. But as for what I would prefer, I think you know the answer to that." Without giving him even a second's opportunity to answer she sealed her lips against his, giving him his answer. She couldn't help but be amused at his obvious disappointment when she pulled away a moment later.

She suddenly suffered from a fit of giggling as she realized something was starting to press against her inner thigh. "It really doesn't take much to get you going, does it?"

He blushed at the question. Though he wouldn't want to admit it, being apart from her-and any kind of sexual activity by extension-had made it so that it really didn't take much to arouse him. Tamashī enjoyed watching him squirm under her gaze for a few seconds more, then with telepathic equivalent to a whisper said, "I suppose we should do something about that, shouldn't we?"

Before he could respond in any way but blushing even harder, she dove into the sleeping bag, quickly wrapping her lips around the tip of his erection. She started slowly, centimetre by centimetre sliding his length over her long, soft tongue, and toward the back of her mouth.

Considering the time of day, he knew this wouldn't turn into actual sex, and he wasn't going to let her be the only one of them who didn't get any thing out of this. Taking advantage of how perfectly positioned she was, he leaned forward a bit, and delivered a long, slow lick to her slick entrance. She yelped in surprise, briefly turning back to look at him. Then, with a bemused sort of grin she returned to her pleasuring of him.

Satisfied that she approved, Valor repeated his previous action, gladly taking in the scent and taste of his mate's already flowing fluids. Along with working his tongue back and forth through her folds he also applied the occasional light flick to her clit, each time drawing an ever so slight intake of breath from her.

As she enjoyed his attentions to her organ, she made sure not to slack on doing the same for him. While she bobbed her head along his length she also used her tongue to deliver special attention to the tip. She couldn't help but enjoy the little shudders of pleasure that occasionally went through her mate's body. One of those shudders was a bit more violent than the rest, and was accompanied by a familiar salty taste filling her mouth, much her delight.

Even having had an orgasm of his own, Valor was determined not to stop until he could do the same for her. In an effort to instigate a faster result, he slid his tongue as deeply into her as he could, sliding it along her inner folds. As her own climax drew closer she started whimpering a bit, spurring Valor on until he felt her contacting around him, sending out a sizeable amount of her own, sweeter fluids.

Having finished her he laid his head back, and after a minute or two she turned back around so they were face to face once more. With a small grin he said, "I'd say that's a better way to wake up than using an alarm clock."

She nodded in agreement, then slid of him so she was lying by his side, snuggled in close to him. "It's too bad we're probably gonna have to leave soon. I really kind of wish we could just stay here like this."

Without a word he kissed the top of her head, telling her that he felt the same without saying so.

After a quick breakfast and taking the time to pack up their camp, the six of them set off, Galen seeming to assume a natural position at the front of their little group. It was around midday when they reached Saffron City. When they made it to the first split in the path, Galen, Valor and Tamashī turned to head north and-much to Tamashī's dismay-Gardevoir and the others turned to head south.

"Hold on, you're not coming with us?"

Gardevoir shook her head. "No, this is where we part."

Tamashī looked around at her friends, noting the less than happy expressions on all of their faces. "But, why?"

"Two reasons. One, because, well, you didn't really expect us to travel around with you forever, did you?"

"No, I didn't." Tamashī admitted reluctantly. "What's the second reason?"

Gardevoir exchanged a brief glance with Lopunny, then said, "We've been talking, and Lilligant and I are going to try to help Lopunny find her trainer. So, we're heading south to Vermillion City to hop a ship to Hoenn. That's where Lopunny's trainer lived two years ago. The hope is that she's still there. And, Lopunny also thinks that her trainer would be willing to take us in, so…"

"Oh." Tamashī was still a bit reluctant to part from them, but she understood their reasons. With a sad sort of smile she said, "Well, good luck then, to all of you. And be careful, yeah? I wouldn't want to have helped you three get out of trouble just to have you land back in it."

Gardevoir nodded in agreement. "We'll be fine, don't worry."

Without discussing it in the slightest the four of them came together in a group hug of sorts, then separated, and turned to head down their separate paths. Tamashī took one last look at the backs of her retreating friends, then turned and followed after Valor and Galen.

After a minute Galen spoke. "So here's a question: why are you two moving north? I would have thought you would be on the first ship back to Sinnoh."

Valor answered, saying, "We talked about it, and we thought it would be nice to spend a little extra time with just the two of us first. So, we're taking the 'scenic route' if you will. We're gonna take the magnet train to Goldenrod City. We figured we would make our way through the Johto Region, then take a ship from Olivine City to get back to Sinnoh."

"Well, there are worse paths to take. But then, you two should have some time to yourselves. With how long you've been apart, it must be nice to be together again."

Valor thought he detected a catch in his friend's voice, but he decided not to ask, since if he was right there was probably some kind of sensitive topic attached. Tamashī however, was not so delicate. "Galen, is something wrong?"

"It's nothing Tamashī."

She rolled her eyes in response. "You're a worse liar than Valor. What's wrong?"

"I don't have the time or the desire to talk about it. Please just leave it alone."

She didn't really want to 'leave it alone', but a look from Valor made her reluctantly drop the topic.

After a few more minutes of walking-this time in complete and somewhat sombre silence-they came to another division in the path. Galen turned to face them. "Well, this is where we go our separate ways."

Valor nodded. "Yeah. So, where are you headed?"

"I'm off to be with my wife again. As it was she wasn't happy about me leaving her, even though she understood my reasons for going. I don't want to stay away for much longer, because even now she's probably already pissed at me."

"Well, good luck with that. And thanks, for everything."

Tamashī chimed in then saying, "Naturally, you have my thanks as well. Not only for helping to save me, but for keeping Valor from getting himself killed."

Galen waved dismissively. "Don't worry about it. You two are my friends. I couldn't very well leave you two without any help, now could I? Besides, I can't stand people like Lawrence and Pokémon Hunters. And, don't tell my wife, but frankly my life has been a bit on the dull side lately. I needed to get one last little adventure out of my system I think."

Valor gave an exhausted sigh accompanied by a shake of his head. "You never take anything seriously, do you?"

"Kid, I've learned after a long time that if I'm to serious all the time, then my life just becomes nothing but stress and worry, not to mention a short temper on top of that. I only take things seriously when I really have to. Right now for instance. Before I leave, I'm going to have to be very serious. Listen, and listen well. We may not have seen the last of Lawrence. He has power and influence, so there's no telling what he could accomplish, even from behind the walls of a prison. Even in general, you two should try to be careful. Okay?"

With an air of confidence-almost to the point of sounding conceited-Tamashī said, "Don't worry so much. We'll be fine. And if we're not, you can just come and rescue us again!"

With an expression that was a mixture of guilt and regret Valor said, "Tamashī, don't say things like that. It was my own over confidence that caused this whole mess in the first place."

"Valor, I told you to stop blaming yourself."

"I'm not going to no matter how many times you ask. It was my fault."

"You're so stubborn."

With a hint of a smile he asked, "Why do you say that as though you're not?"

Before she could respond, Galen held up a hand to stop them. "Look, much as I would enjoy sitting here watching you two do this playful bantering stuff, I need to get going. So, until we meet again, take care of yourselves, okay?"

Valor gave an affirmative nod. "We will."

Tamashī added, "And you take care of yourself too Galen."

He gave a nod of his own in response, then with a final farewell wave he set off down the road before him, leaving them to make their way through the city to the magnate train station. It was a relatively short walk from where they were, and half an hour later they were waiting on the platform, tickets ready to board the train to Goldenrod City in the Johto Region.

The sleek silver bullet-like train pulled up before them, the doors opening with a hiss of released air. They stepped through and set out to find their seats. After a minute or two they the doors closed again, and the train began to move forward, leaving the station.

Mere seconds after the train left the station, several men in Saffron City Police uniforms came running up the steps to the platform, all looking very out of breath. One of them-a lieutenant swore under his breath as he saw that the train had left. He pulled out his radio, putting in a call to the station. "We just missed them. It's too late to stop the train. Send a message to the Goldenrod Department to be ready at their end."

The comm crackled with static, then came a voice. "Roger that. We'll send the alert."

"We don't happen to have anyone on board who could make sure they don't get away, do we?"

More static, then, "Negative. But our records do show that a member of InterPol is on board. We can probably get his help."

The lieutenant gave a curt nod, though he knew the person at the other end couldn't see it. "Alright then, we're returning to the station. Over and out."

With that he and the other officers turned and left the station, assured that the issue would be dealt with.

For the first few minutes of their time on the train Tamashī stared out the window, her tail waving back in forth in wonder as she marvelled at just how fast they were moving, something that Valor found incredibly amusing. When she had grown tired of that, she had laid down on the seat beside him, quickly falling asleep with her head in his lap.

Valor had spent another few minutes, gently scratching her behind her right ear-a favourite spot of hers-before he found himself absentmindedly staring out the window. It was his lack of attention that that made him whip his head around in surprise when a voice asked, "You mind if I sit here?"

There was a man standing there, pointing to the seat opposite Valor. "I wouldn't ask, but someone took my seat and won't give it up."

Valor shook his head. "It's fine. Feel free."

"Thanks, I appreciate it." The man sat down, smiling brightly. By the look of him, Valor guessed he couldn't be more than twenty two or twenty three. "My name is Zyle, by the way."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Valor, and the Lucario drooling on my lap is Tamashī."

Her ears twitched briefly, as though she could tell even I sleep that she was being talked about. Zyle smirked. "Is it actually drooling?"

"_She, _and no, just thought I would try to be clever."

"Sure. Though, I do have to say, she does seem very comfortable. Almost, too comfortable."

Valor chose his next words carefully, not wanting to say too much. "Yeah, well…she doesn't really have a concept of 'personal space'. That and, she hasn't been sleeping too well lately. So, I can't really hold it against her."

Zyle nodded. "I understand. Why hasn't she been sleeping well? Insomnia or something?"

"It's…kind of a long story, and it's not something I want to discuss with someone I just met."

Zyle smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, guess I am getting a little personal."

"Don't worry about it." The next several minutes passed in silence, the only sound coming in the form of the quiet hum of the train.

After the train had been zipping along the track for around fifteen minutes, Tamashī woke up, and naturally took immediate notice of the stranger in their presence. "Who is this?"

Zyle blinked in surprise. "Whoa. I've heard that Lucarios could use telepathy, but I always thought those were just stories."

Tamashī smiled a self satisfied sort of smile. "Yep, we can use telepathy any time we want. Though, most wild Lucarios don't really ever make use of the ability, and many Lucarios who have trainers usually only talk to their trainers. But back to my question: who are you?"

"Zyle. My name is Zyle."

Tamashī tilted her head to one side. "Zyle? I'm not quite sure what it is, but there's something I like about the sound of your name."

"Uh…thanks, I think."

"It's a compliment, trust me." Turning to Valor she asked, "How long was I asleep for?"

"Not long. Though, with how fast this train it shouldn't be too long before we get to Goldenrod."

She leaned against him, closing her eyes again. "Too bad. I wouldn't mind getting a bit more sleep in."

Zyle raised an eyebrow to the sight before him. "I would be careful if I were you. Somebody looking at you two might think you were…some kind of couple or something. I'm sure that would only cause problems."

Silently apologising for doing so, Valor pushed Tamashī off him. "Like I said, she doesn't really have a concept of personal space."

Tamashī threw him a dirty look, both for effect and because she was actually a bit unhappy about being pushed away. "Since when do you care what other people think? Just let me lean against you, you ass!"

"Who are you calling an ass?"

"You, you ass!"

As they continued bickering back and forth like that, Zyle smiled to himself. To anyone who just took a look at them, it would appear as though they were friends who knew each other well. But as one who knew what they really were, he could easily recognize how much they cared for each other. I came looking for criminals, he thought, but that's not what they are. We have no right or reason to be after them. "Damn."

Valor and Tamashī broke off from their mock argument, their attention drawn back to Zyle. "What's wrong?"

Zyle's eyes widened. He hadn't realized that that 'damn' had been out loud. A quick lie came to him. "Uh, I just remembered I have to make an important call, and it's kind of about a private matter. Sorry to leave so abruptly, but I'm sure you understand."

Zyle stood and quickly walked away, leaving Valor and Tamashī with matching looks of confusion. As soon as he was sure they wouldn't be able to hear him, he slipped into an empty seating compartment and pulled out his Pokégear. He quickly punched in the number of the Goldenrod Police Department, hoping he wasn't going to be too late. As soon as the other end picked up he said, "This is Agent Zyle of the International Police. Connect me to the Chief of Police."

After another moment his call was put through. "Listen, you can call off the officers waiting at the Goldenrod Station. I've combed this train three times and they aren't here."

The other end was silent for a few seconds. "Are you sure? The Saffron Department said they were on the train. They even said they had security footage of them boarding."

"Well then, they made a mistake. Don't waste your resources on this. They're probably still in Kanto."

"Alright then, I'll send an alert to Saffron then."

Zyle breathed a sigh of relief when there was a click at the other end, signalling that he had been hung up on. He then smiled a sad sort of smile. "Well, I may lose my job over this, but I'm pretty sure it was worth it."

No sooner had he said that that an attractive red head walked past, drawing his attention. He smiled again. "Well, this day might be about to get a little better."

With that he set off after the woman, his thoughts of Valor and Tamashī quickly forgotten.

When the train pulled into the station in Goldenrod, Valor and Tamashī were among the last passengers off, with the afternoon sun shining down on the brightly coloured city to accompany them. They had decided to go north out of Goldenrod, take the path through the National Park to Ecruteak City, then head toward Olivine City from there.

As they walked through the City, they walked in silence. It was a silence born of closeness and contentment, both glad that their life had regained some semblance of normalcy. They had almost reached the northern gate of the city, when a voice from behind them called out, "You there! With the Lucario! Stop!"

They both turned to see a man in a Goldenrod Police uniform running toward them. He stopped a few feet in front of them, breathing heavily. Valor took a deep breath, trying to maintain his composure. Whatever this was about, it couldn't be good. "Is there something I can help you with Officer?"

"Possibly. Is your name Valor?"

Valor tensed up slightly. "Yes. Why?"

The Officer was quiet for a moment. "Well then, I'm sorry to do this to one so young, but you are under arrest on suspicion of forming an illegal relationship with your Lucario."

Valor took a step back, his mind racing. Lawrence. He must have said something about them. It was the only explanation. What now? He thought. If we get arrested, the Guardian Council could find out. It could cost Tamashī her life. I can't-won't let that happen!

Tamashī was trembling slightly. She had come to essentially the same conclusion. "Valor, what do we do?"

"The only thing we can."

The officer looked at him in confusion, as he hadn't heard Tamashī's telepathic question. "What? What are you talking about?"

Valor looked the man before him straight in the eyes. "I'm sorry too, but you won't be arresting anyone."

Before the officer could react, Valor loosed a pulse of Aura from his body, creating a small shock wave that knocked the office back several feet to land heavily on the ground. The people in the immediate area gasped in shock, not believing what they had just seen. Valor grabbed Tamashī by her paw and took off toward the northern gate of the city.

"Valor, what are you doing?!"

"Like I said, the only thing we can. Keep moving. It's the only way we both get out of this alive, and I'm not losing you again!"

Tamashī nodded and pulled her paw from his hand, continuing to run alongside him. She had never wanted this. She had never wanted to force him to leave his world behind for her. But she knew why he was doing it. She understood perfectly. She knew it was the only way. She didn't like it, but she figured he didn't either. So she did all she could, and continued to run.

Valor was experiencing a similar rush of thoughts. He had never wanted to put her in this kind of danger. But now, now he had to protect her. He had to make sure that he didn't fail her again.

Less than a minute had passed since they had started running, when they came to, and passed through the gate to the route just beyond the city. Knowing they would definitely be caught if they stayed on the main road, they quickly dashed into the forest that lined the road, disappearing deeper and deeper into the shelter and cover of the greenery.

As they ran, one immutable fact rang out in both of their minds. Now, everyone would know their guilt. Now, they had no where they could go to be safe, and they had to keep running. Now, they were outlaws.

Their lives changed so quickly once they started to run. They had to hide. They had to avoid roads, and camp where they couldn't be seen. Most of where they travelled was wilderness. The first two weeks of this were the most difficult, as they were always running, always looking over their shoulders. Neither of them got much sleep during that time. By the end of the third week of being on the run they were becoming used to it and by the end of the first month like that, they had become used to their 'new life' of running from the law-or at least as used to it as someone can become.

One particularly rainy night found them sheltering in a somewhat dry cave, a small fire burning to keep them warm. Valor sat leaning against one of the walls of the cave, and Tamashī was seated in a cross-legged position near the entrance, staring out at the thick drops of water that fell heavily from the sky with the unending patter of water hitting already formed puddles on the ground. The stress of recent events had undoubtedly put strain on their relationship, and it was now not uncommon for them to sit apart like that.

It was in a similar fashion that their physical relationship had suffered, and in the last month they had found only a few quiet moments where they were both in the mood for any kind of carnal activities. Needless to say the lack of emotional release had also made their tempers a fair bit shorter, and there had been at least a couple of instances where one of them snapped at the other, something that under normal circumstances never happened.

Staring at the deceptively cheery blaze before him, Valor let out a quiet sigh. So much had changed. He hated what they had been forced to become, and once again he often felt himself unable to feel that it was anything but his fault. Not only that, but he could almost feel the disappointment and anguish of the people who had told them to be careful. He couldn't help but worry about what his mother's reaction was, if she even knew what was going on. For that matter, he couldn't help but wonder how Galen, or Candice, or anyone he would call a friend had reacted. Being disconnected from society like this had made it impossible to know what was going on, or just how far spread the news of his 'illegal relationship' had travelled.

Worst of all though, at least to Valor, was that where he once thought that the love between them could weather any problem, he now worried if their relationship could even survive under such conditions. Between the threat of being arrested, and the undoubtedly greater threat that was being found by the Guardians, there life had become little more than unending stress, with little moments of relief, not unlike the rain that fell just a few meters from where he sat. He hoped more and more each day that an end to the storm would come into view, and the blue sky of a new day would shine through the darkness that had pervaded their existence.

Whereas Valor was trying to stay hopeful, Tamashī was finding it harder and harder to do so. She didn't even like being put in her Pokéball. Being forced to lose her freedom in any way simply didn't sit well with her. She didn't want there to be place that she couldn't go, and she hated that she had to constantly worry about being put under even greater constraints were they to be caught. She found it all…depressing.

She sighed, an exhaustedly sad sigh. She then stood, stretching out her body as she did. Turning to Valor she said, "I'm going to sleep. I can't keep sitting here doing nothing."

Valor looked away from the fire, furrowing his brow with a concerned sort of look in his eyes. "Really? It's still pretty early."

"I don't care how early it is."

"Are you alright? Is something wrong?"

"No more so than usual."

"Look, I know we're not under the best circumstances here-"

Tamashī could feel some pent up frustration coming to the surface as she cut him off to say, "Really? What was your first clue?"

Valor faltered for a moment, somewhat surprised by her response. "I know things are bad, but don't take that out on me, alright? We can't start fighting each other. Just calm down, okay?"

"Don't talk to me like I'm a child Valor! I know what's going on! I know things are bad, and I refuse to 'calm down' about it! This whole thing is ridiculous!"

Valor slowly got to his feet, starting to feel a bit frustrated himself. "Stop. Just stop. I don't like this any more than you do. Do you think I like having to hide in caves and run every time I think there might be people anywhere near by?"

"I'm aware that you don't like it! I know! But you can't tell me you're not angry about all this!"

"Of course I'm angry! Our whole world is falling apart around us! But please stop acting like this is my fault!"

"Acting? You think I'm acting? At the end of the day, this is your fault!"

"How the hell is this my fault?!"

Tamashī was quiet for a brief second, then shaking with anger, she answered. "Do you really want to know how this is your fault? Then I'll tell you. Way back before we were a couple, I told myself that even though I loved you, I would be perfectly happy just to be with you, that I would only tell you how I felt if you told me first. I never thought you would. But you surprised me, and I decided to go with it. At the time, I was happy beyond belief. But looking back at it, I made a mistake, and so did you. I realized that if you had just kept your mouth shut, we never would have wound up in this situation! We would be nothing more than a pokémon and her Trainer, and we wouldn't have to be acting like fucking criminals! So yes, at the end of the day, we are in this Arceus damned situation because of y-"

In an instant of nothing but pure, blind fury as a result of pent up anger, frustration, and the catalyst that their argument had become, Valor struck her across the face, sending her reeling back from the force and shock of the blow. Almost immediately his anger vanished as he registered what he had just done. He rushed over to her, a horrified expression on his face. "Tamashī, are you alright? I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to-"

He was unable to finish his sentence as within as single second Tamashī-acting with anger of her own-tackled him to the ground, pinning him in place. She stayed there for a moment, breathing heavily. Then without a word, she stood and started walking toward the entrance to the cave.

Valor pushed himself up into a sitting position, then rolled his body a bit so he was up in a crouching position. "Tamashī, where are you-"

"I used to think they were wrong. Whenever anyone would say that a relationship between a human and a pokémon couldn't be together, I thought, we'll prove them wrong. Now, I'm not so sure."

She started walking out into the rain, and Valor immediately stood to follow her, but stopped cold when she turned to face him with a very dark look in her eyes. "Don't follow me. It's over Valor. It's all over. And if you follow me, I won't hesitate to attack you."

She turned and continued walking away, her fur quickly becoming soaked. When she was a few meters away from him she broke into a dead run, quickly disappearing into the deep undergrowth of the forest just outside the cave.

Valor simply stood there not knowing what to do as he struggled to understand how this had happened. Of course, the answer was clear. Once again-at least as he saw it-he had screwed up. Behind him the fire burned out, the darkness in the cave now matching the cold feeling that had formed in his heart.

Tamashī hadn't been running for very long when she came to a stop. She was already breathing heavily, and her fur was soaked through to her skin. Though it would have been impossible to tell the difference between the two, mixed in with the rain soaking her face were tears that had been flowing freely since she started running through the forest.

Once she had caught her breath, she wiped her eyes, then found a somewhat dry spot beneath the upheaved roots of a large tree that formed into a hollow just big enough for her to stand up in if she bowed her head. She laid down on the soft soil, curling up with her tail wrapped around her. She closed her eyes, not only in an effort to sleep until the rain stopped, but also as an attempt to stop the flow of her tears.

"You know, the offer I mad to you at Lake Acuity is still open."

Tamashī sat bolt upright at the sound of the voice, her eyes narrowing with irritated recognition as she came face-to-face with Mesprit. "What the hell are you doing here? And what offer?"

"I have been keeping an eye on you and Valor because you two have caught my interest. That is why I am here. And the offer I refer to is the one in which I informed you that I could take away your emotions. You never actually gave me an answer, so I thought I would tell you that the offer was still open, in the case that you wanted to take me up on it."

"Give that a rest, would you? I'm not going to 'take you up' on that offer. Just leave me alone. I don't want to deal with you or anyone else right now. And for the record, I don't have any emotions I need to get rid of."

Mesprit raised one eyebrow. "You say that, but if that is the case, then explain the tears running down your face. Clearly you are feeling quite upsetting things."

"If you want to listen to a sob story, then go talk to my…then go talk to Valor. I'm sure he would just pour his heart out for you."

"Ooh, so full of emotion over Valor. Not really surprising though, after what just happened. I can feel it. You are torn between love for him and anger at…him, but not really him, as well as anger at yourself, and something akin to resolve. Care to explain any of that?"

Tamashī laid back down with a 'humph'. "No, I wouldn't."

"Well then, allow me to ask you something. Are you really going to let your relationship with him-something that brought you so much joy, so many happy moments-fall apart just like that?"

"Everything falls apart eventually. It was only a matter of time."

"I can tell that you do not believe that. And do you know what else I know? I am aware that you did not mean what you said to him back at the cave, even if their may have been a grain of truth to it. So if that is the case, why say those things to him?"

Tamashī was quiet for a moment before she chose to answer. "I did it for his sake. Being with me has only brought him trouble. This will be better for everyone. It's the right thing to do."

"Funny. That is the second time I have had a female pokémon tell me that as her reason for leaving her human behind. I dare say it was not better for either of them."

Tamashī looked up at Mesprit, confused by her last statement. "What are you talking about?"

"Hmm…I cannot really say, as it is not my secret to share, but I suppose in the interest of providing an example of what could happen to you, I could give you the basics. I once knew of a couple not so dissimilar to you and Valor. They began their relationship on the shores of the lake I call home. That couple was a human and a Ninetales. After six months of happiness, the Ninetales somehow became pregnant, and she decided that in order to protect him, she would leave him behind. I tried to convince her otherwise, but she would not listen. To this day they both miss each other greatly, and he still has no clue as to why she left. Trust me when I say that you would regret it for the rest of your life."

"I…look, I don't want to leave him. I love him. I always will. But, how can I go back to him now? I attacked him, I said all those awful things, and knowing him, he probably won't ever forgive himself for hitting me. It just won't work." Tamashī sniffed as she struggled to fight back a new wave of tears.

Mesprit gently floated down so that she was right in front of Tamashī's eyes. "He still loves you Tamashī, and he has already forgiven you. Right now he is sitting in the dark in that cave, debating between risking you attacking him again to come after you, and waiting there in the hope that you will come back on your own. Are you really going to make him wait? Besides, even if you don not go back to him, he would follow after you or wait for you for as long as he needs to, because the thing he wants most is to be with you. He knows he made a mistake, and he feels terrible, but he wants to make it up to you. Do both of you a favour, and do not break both of your hearts."

"I don't see how he could forgive me for all of that. How could anyone?"

Mesprit shook her head. "Tamashī, you cannot just throw away your love for each other over one argument. Go back to him. Make up with each other. You two need each other, not only to get through these darker days, but also in general. You two cannot survive without each other. Do not make a second mistake today."

Tamashī took a slow, deep breath to steady her nerves, then she slowly pushed herself off the ground, and stood up, wiping away the fresh tears from her eyes. "You're right. Much as it may be beneficial in certain ways to separate, we do need each other. It…might be hard to go back, but I have to try, right?"

Mesprit nodded. "That is right."

"Thank you Mesprit. I suppose you are good at putting things in perspective."

"I would be a pretty useless Being of Emotion if I could not help others with their emotions."

"I guess so. Before I go, would you mind telling me why you're so interested in me and Valor?"

With a knowing sort of smile Mesprit simply and mysteriously said, "Because you two are important."

Before Tamashī could ask what that meant, Mesprit was enveloped in an orb of light that disappeared in a flash, taking little pink Psychic-type with it. Tamashī stood there for a moment with a confused sort of expression on her face, then, filled with new resolve and clarity of mind, she turned face the way she had come through the forest the first time, and she took off running, determined to get back to her mate.

Valor sat quietly in the now dark cave, desperately trying to decide what to do. On the one hand if he went after her she might attack him again, but that would be worth it, wouldn't it? Then his other option was just to wait where he was and hope she would come back, but he didn't much like the idea. No matter what he knew he had to do something. He drew his legs up close to his body and bent his head until his forehead was resting on his knees. "What do I do?"

No answer came except for the consistent sound of rain coming from outside and the occasional sound of dripping water from deeper in the cave. In his solitude he had lost all track of time. He could have been sitting there for an hour, or merely for a minute, and he wouldn't have known the difference. At one point from the sheer piling on of emotions he broke down and cried, but after a while even his tears left him, and he simply couldn't cry anymore.

It was in perhaps his greatest moment of depression that without actually hearing a sound, he heard that so wonderfully familiar mental voice simply ask, "Valor?"

He looked up to see Tamashī standing at the entrance to the cave, her fur completely soaked and her feet covered in splatters of mud from running through the forest. Valor stood up slowly, scarcely believing that she had actually come back. Without moving from where he was he quietly said, "Tamashī…I'm…so sorry. I let my anger get the better of me. I-"

He was cut off as she ran forward and tightly hugged him. "Valor, if anyone needs to be sorry, it's me."

He stared down at her in confusion. "How do you figure that? I'm the one who…well…you know."

Tamashī slowly backed away from him, a guilty and apologetic look in her eyes. "I'm the one who should be sorry because…because I said everything I said just to get you angry. I…I wanted to have a reason to leave so that you wouldn't try to stop me."

Valor stared in shock, not understanding or believing what he was hearing. "What? Why would you do that?"

"I…I figured things would be easier for you. I thought it would be better if you didn't have to worry about or deal with me. I felt like I never do anything but cause problems for you. But…I decided I was wrong…with some help anyway. I'm really sorry."

Both of them were silent for a moment, then Tamashī flinched as Valor took a step toward her, expecting the worst. She was blinking in surprise a moment later as she realised that he had wrapped his arms around her, holding her against him. "You idiot. Even if you do cause problems for me, I would gladly put up with that, because I love you. And that will never change."

Upon hearing that she returned his embrace, snuggling against him as tears started to form in her eyes again. "I'm so sorry. I really didn't mean any of what I said."

"You were kinda right though. If you trace it back far enough, this is my fault. If I hadn't chosen to show an ounce of courage for once in my life on that day, we wouldn't be in this mess."

She shook her head with a small laugh. "No, we would have wound up in this position anyway. Even if you hadn't said anything, I was already thinking about pinning you down and breeding with you whether you wanted to or not. We would be in just the same place we are now. 'Course I knew you wanted to, but still."

"Wait, you knew?"

She nodded. "Do you know how many times I caught you staring at me? Or how many times I noticed you blushing when I would look at you? I am smart enough to figure it out Valor."

His face flushed bright red as she said this. "Oh. I guess it was kinda obvious."

"Yeah, but it was cute. That's part of why I fell for you."

They then both fell silent again as they stood there in each others arms, all of their problems seeming to evaporate in that moment as they recalled their happier days.

The silence went unbroken for several minutes until it was simply shattered by a violent sneeze from Tamashī. Valor smiled with a shake of his head. "Let me see if I can get the fire going again. You must be freezing."

She nodded and reluctantly let go of him, and within a few minutes they were in each others arms again, cuddling in front of the newly lit flames. Tamashī had used those few minutes to shake out her body and squeeze the excess water from her fur, leaving several large puddles on the floor of the cave. Now she was only damp, but that hadn't helped her warm up as much as the fire and being in her mate's arms were.

About an hour later-or at least what she thought might have been an hour-her fur was dry, and the rain had stopped, the pale light of the moon shining lightly through small breaks in the clouds. After everything that had gone on recently, it felt kind of odd to have a simple, quiet moment together. But it was also a relief. It was almost possible to forget that they were wanted "criminals".

Tamashī arched her back slightly as Valor started to scratch her behind the ear. That only really improved the moment in her mind. She was disappointed when he stopped and said, "Do you think you would mind getting off me long enough for me to roll out our sleeping bag? I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted after today."

She made a dissatisfied grumbling sound in response. "I do mind, but I would also like to get to sleep…so I guess I can get off you…for now."

It didn't take him long to get their sleeping bag ready and put the fire out, plunging the cave into darkness once more. But instead of feeling distant and cold like it had before, as they snuggled into the tight fabric together, they felt incredibly close and comfortable, a rare moment of darkness dispelling happiness, just like the moon light breaking through the clouds.

When Valor's eyes opened, the first thing that came into focus was a field of blue fur mere inches from his face; it was one of Tamashī's ears. He smiled briefly, then his smile vanished as he remembered what he had been dreaming about. For the second time now, he had dreamt of Tamashī dying in his arms. He had once thought the dream had something to do with Lawrence, but now, he wasn't so sure. Even though he had made it seem to Tamashī as though he had let go of it, it still worried him. It was so real, so painful, that it was difficult to believe it could just be a dream.

He was broken free of his dark thoughts by Tamashī grumbling in her sleep, a cute sort of sound that brought a smile to his face. Whatever happens, he thought, I'll do everything in my power to protect her, and that's all I really can do, so I won't worry about it until I absolutely need to.

He didn't fall back to sleep, but he simply laid there beside her, enjoying the brush of her fur against his hands, and the steady rhythm of her breathing. In was a rare time when he felt totally at ease.

After a while the silence was broken by a yawn from his mate, signalling her own return to the waking world. She snuggled against him, making a contented sort of sound as she did so, drawing another smile from him as well as a small laugh. "Good morning."

She responded not with words, but by giving his neck an affectionate nuzzling. He raised an eyebrow at her and asked, "So, do you actually intend to talk to me this morning?"

With a mischievous gleam in her eyes she shrugged in response, again not saying a word.

Valor sighed. "Alright then. I you're not going to talk to me, then I guess I'll just get to work on making breakfast."

He slid out of the sleeping bag and stood up, stretching as he did so. Tamashī rolled her body so that she was in a position to pounce, then, with her tail wagging in excitement, waited until he closed his eyes at the apex of his stretch. The moment the lids shut she leapt out of the sleeping bag, tackling him to the ground and pinning him by his shoulders.

Once the pain faded he opened his eyes to see her sparkling ruby red eyes staring right back at him. With a weary smile he asked, "What are you doing?"

"Being playful and unexpected." Then, seeming to be almost an afterthought she added, "Oh, and I'm trying to figure out how to get your clothes off you without letting you get up."

He rolled his eyes, then adopting a similarly playful manner he said, "Well, you could just rip them off me."

With an evil sort of smirk she 'whispered', "Shouldn't you know by now not to give me ideas? Though, you do have a spare set of clothes, so…"

Valor's expression suddenly transformed to one of concern. "Hold on, I was just kidding! I don't want you to-no wait don't!"

But it was too late. With a sound of teeth tearing through the fabric his shirt was ripped open, exposing his chest and turning his T-Shirt into something more akin to a short sleeved jacket. Tamashī smiled with an air of self satisfaction, a strip of the red material hanging from her mouth. "Like I said, you should know by now than to give me ideas."

Valor groaned in response. "Me and my big mouth. Just please take my pants of properly."

"Oh fine, but it won't be as much fun." She then winked and said, "Now don't go anywhere, 'kay?"

"I couldn't if I wanted to."

It took her a minute to do it with out hurting him or destroying the denim, but eventually his pants were lying on the ground a few feet away. With a devilish smile she looked at him and said, "Alright, I took your pants off gently. However, you never specified what I should do with your underwear."

Before he could stop her she grabbed at the waist band and pulled, ripping the garment clean off his body, much to his dismay. "Oh come on! Was that really necessary?"

"Yes."

Valor laid his head back on the ground with a sigh of resignation. "Well, so much for those. If I didn't have an extra pair-"

"Then you would just have to deal with it. After all how long would you really be able to stay mad at me for?" Before he could answer she had her full weight pressing down on him again and had her lips tightly locked with his. Despite the fact that kissing wasn't something that came naturally to Lucarios, she had come to enjoy the feelings that came with it. To her there was something rather…enthralling about the feeling of pressing her lips against her mate's. There was something wonderful about being able to feel each almost imperceptible move he made, as though each moment brought them close to each other.

In spite of his slight irritation at having his clothes ripped apart, Valor quickly found his heart racing as it began pumping blood to the area were it was needed most. It wasn't long before the space between them seemed to become even less as his hardened length was pressed between them.

Feeling his readiness, Tamashī gently lifted herself off him just enough to guide his swollen manhood to her already dripping entrance, easing herself down along the throbbing flesh until she had taken every inch of him. She then started in with an uncharacteristically slow grinding motion, gently sliding her body along his. While he found it enjoyable enough, something was…missing. "Hold on, stop for a second. What's with the slow gentle stuff? That's not like you."

She looked away from him in embarrassment. "I figured after everything I put you through yesterday, I would go easy on you for once."

He rolled his eyes, and gently turned her head so that their eyes met. "Don't worry about yesterday. It's in the past. Right now, I want you to worry about this, and that means acting like you."

She smiled, nuzzled him briefly, then pulled back to look at him again. "Alright then, you asked for it."

Without any kind of warning she started grinding against him again, but this time at a pace that was more similar to her usual performance, accompanied by the oh-so familiar sounds of fur brushing and thumping against skin.

With how rare such physical release had become for them of late, Valor had lost much of his endurance, and could already feel the tell tale signs of an impending orgasm. His breathing quickened and his pulse raced. She was so tight, and it felt so good to have her sliding along his length, the fur around her mound brushing against his member. Unable to hold him self back any longer he released a torrent of his cream into her body.

She slowed for the briefest of moments to better enjoy the hot, wet sloshing feeling that came with her mate's orgasm, then she picked up her pace once more, driven by instinct to fill herself with as much of it as she could. As she continued she started to let out little moans of pleasure, enjoying the feeling of her mate stretching her as only he could.

Another moment passed, and she could feel she was close to the edge. She picked up her pace, trying to get him to fill her one more time before she hit her own orgasm. Breathing heavily and with her ears pressed flat against her head she let out a long low cry as she lost control, her entire body shuddering as her muscles began to contract around him.

In order to muffle herself she leaned in close to him and bit into his right shoulder. The feeling of her canines sinking into his skin was enough to push him into a second orgasm, filling her to the point where a mixture of their fluids was leaking out around his manhood.

Spent from her efforts she released her grip on his shoulder and laid her head on his chest, breathing heavily. She arched her back slightly as he reached up to scratch her behind her ear. It was-at least in her mind-what could only be called a perfect moment.

A short while later she pushed herself off him, looking down at herself with a sigh. "Between running in the mud and rain last night, and now…this," she said with a gesture directed at her nethers, "I need a bath. Desperately."

Valor pushed himself up so he was sitting, stretching as he did so. Well, there's a stream near by. That's about the best we can do at this point."

She pretended to contemplate it for a moment, then said, "I suppose that will work." With a wink she added, "But I may need some help with the hard to reach areas."

Valor shook his head with a laugh. "Well, somebody's feelin' frisky this morning."

As she strutted out of the cave she gently flicked her tail in his face and playfully asked, "Well that's your fault, now isn't it?

He quickly got up, gathered up his back pack and their sleeping bag and followed after her, a grin on his face. With everything that was going on, it was nice to see her acting like herself again.

By the time he caught up with her she had already submerged herself up to her waist in the aforementioned stream and was-from what he could tell-rather vigorously scrubbing herself clean. He gently set down their belongings a few feet from the banks of the meandering water, then slipped into the water about a meter downstream from Tamashī. The water was a little cold, but his body quickly adjusted, and like her he started cleaning away the sticky mess that had accumulated between his legs.

Once he was free of any residual fluids he looked over to his mate and was amused to realise that what she was doing was no longer cleaning. She had her eyes closed and a look of concentration of her canine features. Fighting to keep from laughing he asked, "Having fun over there sweetheart?"

Her eyes opened in surprise. She looked over to him, standing there with a grin on his face. She was about to say something back to him, but then smashed her arm through the water, splashing him with a massive cascade of droplets. "No. NOW I'm having fun."

After a moment of spluttering and coughing he asked, "Don't you think that was a little bit of overkill?"

She crossed her arms with a smug smile and said, "Well, that'll teach you not to make jokes about me."

"You make plenty of jokes at my expense!"

Affecting an air of playful indifference she asked, "And your point would be…?"

With a sigh he quietly accepted that he wasn't going to win. Instead he waded over to her, wrapped her arms around her waist and quietly said, "You're right. I don't have any real point to make. So why don't we change the subject? Why are you touching yourself, when you have me around?"

Though it wasn't visible she blushed profusely as she looked up at him. She wasn't used to him being so forward with her. She was used to being the one to say things like that, or being the one to suggest they have sex. "I…I don't really…"

"What's the matter? You seem kind of nervous."

This was completely out of the ordinary for him. He was always the nervous one! He never acted this confident! And she certainly never became nervous or embarrassed like this! But there was just something so different about the way he was acting. She didn't get it. "V-Valor…what's gotten into you? Y-you're not really acting like you."

He raised an eyebrow at her, and gave a confident sort of smile to go with it. "I could say the same of you. Are you alright?"

She slowly shook her head. "I-I don't know."

Whatever was going on, it had to be him, didn't it? Or could it be something different about me, she wondered? She could feel a stirring in her loins as she continued to look up into his bright blue eyes. But this wasn't the kind of arousal she was used to. She had never felt anything quite like this before. It was as though some instinct deep in the back of her mind were screaming 'Let him fuck you RIGHT NOW!' She didn't know where these thoughts and feelings had come from so suddenly, but she decided to give in and follow them.

Suddenly feeling a lot less nervous she said, "Valor, I want you to take me right here, right now."

Now it was Valor's turn to be thrown off. He blinked in confusion as he stared back at her own sparkling red eyes. He had just been trying to be a little-as she had put it earlier that morning-playful and unexpected. Apparently it had worked better than he had expected. "Uh…alright then. As you wish."

With out giving her even a second to respond he took her in a passionate kiss, and, in a break from the usual order of things, slipped his tongue into her mouth. It took her a moment to recover from the surprise of him acting so quickly, but once she did she very suddenly realised why he enjoyed it when she did this to him. There was some thing strongly intimate about having her mate's tongue sliding across her own tongue and toward her throat. She closed her eyes in bliss and her tail started to wave back and forth in excitement, creating little waves in the water.

She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in a bit closer, feeling her heart race as her instinct continued to drive her. She began grinding her hips against his, enjoying the feeling of his erection between them. He pulled away a moment later much to her disappointment. Breathing a bit heavier than usual he said, "If you keep rubbing against me like this, I'm not going to last long enough to 'take you'."

She stopped immediately, knowing he was right. She wanted this to last, and that wouldn't be the way to do it. As soon as she stopped he began kissing her once more, though this time instead of him putting his tongue in her mouth their oral muscles wound up entwined as the tried to infiltrate one another's mouths. Unable to take the anticipation any more, Tamashī reached between them, lined up his tip with her lower lips, and slammed herself down onto it, hilting him in a single shot. Thrown off balance by the sudden impact, Valor fell backwards, landing in a sitting position with Tamashī on his lap. Blinking away the pain he asked, "Are you alright?"

She nodded. "Yeah. You?"

"I'll be fine."

"Good, then there's no reason not to keep going."

Because of the way Valor had fallen they were now in shallower water a foot or two from where they had started out, but it was still two thirds of the way up his torso. So, with most of their bodies below the water, Tamashī began pistoning along his length, creating ripples and waves in the stream as she fought to satisfy her sudden need. She closed her eyes as the sensation over took her, his manhood rubbing and sliding against her insides, stretching her so wonderfully and hitting all the right spots.

Easily deducing that her need was far greater than his own, Valor decided to concentrate all his energy on making sure she enjoyed herself. Searching by touch with his left hand he felt around the area where their bodies had become connected, until finally he found what he had been looking for. Just above where he was even now sliding in and out of her with a steady rhythm, he could feel her warm, blood engorged clit. She shuddered slightly when he brushed his thumb against it, and she began arching her back as he began to vigorously apply his attentions to the swollen nubbin.

With his hand occupied below, he decided to give something different a try. Using his right hand he brushed through the cream coloured fur on her chest until he came across one of her nipples. He then curved his back and neck so that her chest was at his eye level, then he moved away his hand, and gently took her nipple in his mouth, stimulating it with a gentle sucking motion. The effect was immediate as she released a gasp of surprised pleasure, briefly opening her eyes to confirm what she was feeling.

Satisfied she allowed her eyelids to drift down again. She began whimpering mere moments later as he delivered a gentle bite, licking at the tip of the swollen nipple. She could feel herself getting closer and closer to her climax by the second. Each motion of his length against her insides, each brush of his thumb against her clit. It was all adding together into a sort of cumulative pleasure that was driving her to the brink of losing control.

She started slamming down harder on him, evidenced by the larger and larger ripples formed in the water, until finally she managed to force herself down hard enough to have him go through her cervix, the opening quickly tightening around him just beneath his tip. Even with her movement now restricted by their 'tying' she continued to pound her body against his as hard and fast as she could until finally she went over the edge, her orgasm washing over her just as the water of the stream was.

A moment of the familiar contracting around his member was enough for Valor to experience his third orgasm that morning, his body stiffening and his balls tightening as his seed was sprayed straight into her womb.

Both exhausted, he carefully scooted himself back until he could lay back against the bank of the stream. She likewise laid her head on his chest, panting heavily with her tongue slightly hanging out of her mouth. He looked down at her with a loving smile on his lips. "How was that?"

"Wonderful. I don't know what came over me, but you certainly satisfied it." She closed her eyes with a contented smile and snuggled against his chest.

"I'm glad. I love you Tamashī."

"I love you too."

After spending a relatively short amount of time recovering from their amorous activities, Valor returned to his original plan for that morning and proceeded to prepare breakfast for the two of them. Once their stomachs were full, Tamashī found a warm patch of sunlit ground and spread herself out, contentedly resting from their breeding session and their meal.

Valor on the other hand was not so relaxed. He had known this day would be inevitable, and so far he knew of only one solution to the predicament they were now in. He took one last look at the contents of his back pack, then with a sigh walked over to Tamashī to sit down beside her. "We have a problem."

She opened one crimson eye to look at him, a puzzled expression colouring her features. "How so?"

Valor took a deep breath and said, "Well, we seem to be running low on supplies. Specifically food and medical supplies. As it was I was already running a little low on things like potions before we were forced to start running, but after a month in the wilderness, well, I'm sure you can figure it out."

She sat up, her curiosity obviously changing to concern. "Is it really that bad? Are we completely out of food?"

Valor shifted his eyes so that they weren't looking at her's. "Completely." He lied.

"Valor, what are you hiding from me?"

"Nothing."

She folded her arms, and with a serious tone in her voice simply said, "Valor."

He sighed, then got up and walked back over to his bag, Tamashī close on his heels. It only took a minute of rummaging through it for him to find what he was searching for, producing a smallish white box. Tamashī raised an eyebrow at the item before her. "And what is this?"

"It's…a box lined with NeverMelt Ice. It used to keep things cold…or keep them from melting."

"Things like what? Or, to make myself clear, what's in the box?"

Valor opened the box and tipped out the contents, producing a haphazard stack of four chocolate bars. "I save these for special occasions."

Tamashī stared at her mate in disbelief. "You've had chocolate on you this whole time and you didn't tell me?!"

"Like I said, I save it for special occasions. Where did you think I got the bar I gave you in Lily Cove from?"

She simply stared at him for a moment, then held out one paw. "I want one. NOW."

Valor sighed. "Fine, but the others are still being saved."

He handed her one of the bars, which she took and quickly set to work unwrapping. "We'll see."

While she was occupied with the wrapper he slid the remaining three back in to the box, then closed it and returned it to his bag. When he turned back to look at her she was happily munching away at the candy, he tail waving back and forth in happiness. "Happy now?"

She simply nodded, and he found he couldn't help but smile at her almost child-like happiness. His smile quickly vanished though as he remembered their original topic of conversation. "So, back to what I was saying before, we need supplies."

He waited for a response to make sure she was paying attention, and continued when he got a nod in return. "Our only real option is to…well, unlike a pokémon I can't by any stretch survive on just berries and whatever else wild pokémon eat. So, I'm gonna need to go into a town or city to get what we need."

The moment that registered with her she whipped her head up to look at him, the remaining third of her chocolate suddenly forgotten. "You can't be serious?! Are you insane?!"

"I don't have any other option. Look, we're near Ecruteak City where we are now. It's a relatively small city, so they probably don't have as many police. Not only that, but after a month out here like this I don't really look the same any more."

She hated to admit it, but he did have a point. His hair had grown even longer and he had a darker tan than he used to-not that he had been very tan to begin with, but it was still darker. "Alright then, what about me? You can't hide this," she gestured to her spike-less chest, "nearly so easily. There aren't any more Lucarios I know of that look like me."

"You're absolutely right, and that's why you're not coming with me."

"EXCUSE ME?!"

"Look, I won't put you in danger again, I just won't do it. So it's either you wait for me here, or I put you in your Pokéball."

She immediately stiffened up. She didn't want to be put into her Pokéball, after all there was a reason she hadn't been in it in almost a year and a half now. But she certainly didn't want to wait there, left to worry whether or not he would even come back. Having made up her mind, she took a deep breath and said, "Fine then. I'll go in my Pokéball. I'm not letting you go alone, so I'll just have to deal with I suppose. Just do me a favour and don't get us both caught okay? After all, I won't be around to keep you out of trouble."

He nodded, a gentle smile gracing his lips. "Alright then. I'll do my best to stay out of trouble."

"Good. Let's leave in a little while okay? I'd like to enjoy just a little more time outside my Pokéball before we go…"

He nodded. "I understand. I wasn't planning on going until a little later today anyway."

"Good." She quickly finished off the remainder of her chocolate and then returned to her sunny spot, laying back to enjoy the warmth once more.

Several hours later they were hiding in the woods only a few hundred yards from the gate into Ecruteak City. Having watched the entrance for a while already, they were fairly certain there wasn't any security. Taking a deep breath to ease his nerves, Valor turned to face Tamashī. "Alright, it doesn't look like waiting around is really gonna do us any good, so I think it's time."

For a moment she didn't respond, then she rushed forward, quickly covering the short space between them to tightly hug him. While nuzzling him she quietly said, "Please, _please_ be careful."

He gently hugged her back, wishing with all his heart that they didn't have to risk this. "Don't worry. I'll be careful."

Though she took little comfort in his reassurances, she took a deep breath and stepped back from him. "Alright then, let's get this over with."

Valor signalled his agreement with a reluctant nod. He hated that he had to do this to her, but with every inch being a struggle he reached down to his belt, and pulled off the red and white capsule that had so long been vacant. "Tamashī, return."

He pointed the ball at her, the device releasing a single beam or red light. At the exact instant that it made contact their eyes met, and in that split second, all that they felt for each other passed between them, as though by some kind of mental link. The concern, the regrets, and most importantly the love they shared for each other.

Then it was over. He stood there alone, holding her Pokéball. He reattached it to his belt, and set off toward Ecruteak. He found himself cursing his luck that there weren't more people around as he travelled through the city, wishing there was a crowd he could blend into. But then, Ecruteak had always been a quiet sort of town without a lot of activity.

As Valor moved through the town he tried to keep his head down and, more importantly, sneak around without looking like he was sneaking around. It didn't take him long to reach the Pokémon Center, and once inside he made straight for the built in PokéMart. Quickly sorting through the merchandise he picked out enough medical supplies and pokémon food to keep them supplied for the next three months. As he went about this he tried to stay aware of what was going on around him without coming off as jumpy or paranoid, and to his credit he did rather well at that.

Once he had made his purchases there he then made for the nearest market and purchased enough non perishable items to keep him supplied for as long as his pokémon he immediately set off to leave Ecruteak. He couldn't help but feel relieved as he made his way back through town, headed for the nearest exit. In just a few minutes, he would be out of the city and he and Tamashī would be able to put some distance between them and the town.

But, as if the universe wished to dash his hopes, he suddenly heard a gruff voice from behind him say, "You there in the green shirt, stop walking and turn around-slowly."

Valor slowly turned around, finding himself in the shadow of an Ecruteak police officer. He gulped, then asked, "Is-is something wrong officer?"

"We both know the answer to that young man. You're under arrest for forming an illegal relationship with your Lucario and for resisting arrest."

The officer took a step toward him, and Valor immediately turned and broke into a run, taking off down a side street, determined to lose the officer without having to attack like he did in Goldenrod. As he ran he could hear the footsteps of the officer in pursuit. Occasionally he would look back over his shoulder to see how much distance was between them, but he generally tried to keep his eyes forward. He kept running, and as he did, he tried to figure out how to get out of the city, desperately trying to figure a way out of the situation.

As he ran through the maze of streets and alleys he could feel himself beginning to tire. He knew he would have to think of something, as he also knew that he couldn't keep up his current pace for much longer. He took a look back over his shoulder as he ran around a corner, and immediately wished he hadn't as he crashed into someone, falling to the ground.

Looking up he was horrified to find himself looking up at another officer, this upper half of his face obscured by his uniform's hat. Valor found himself too shocked to resist as the officer reached down and hauled him to his feet. Mere seconds later the officer who had been chasing him came tearing around the corner and nearly crashed into them both. Breathing heavily he said, "Don't let him get away!"

The officer Valor had smacked into immediately grabbed him and-against his struggling-bound his arms behind his back with a pair of handcuffs. Valor continued struggling, becoming more aggressive by the second. He couldn't let it end like this. He couldn't let Tamashī down. Not again. Holding him tightly the officer quietly said, "You may as well stop struggling. It's over kid."

"Well done. If you hadn't come along I might have had to use force to catch him."

The officer holding Valor nodded with a confident smile. "Glad to help, but I was just in the right place at the right time."

"Let me go you bastard!" Valor growled as he continued to struggle.

The first officer let out a sigh. "Why do they always have to make it harder on themselves? Can you handle him from here? I'm exhausted. I must be getting too old for this."

The second office responded with another nod. "I can take care of it. Feel free to take a rest."

"Thanks. I'll take care of filing the reports just as long as you get him to the station."

The second officer started to drag Valor away, saying, "I said you should stop struggling kid. There's no point in fighting."

When they had made it about twelve meters from the first officer, the one holding Valor looked back over his shoulder with another confident smile and said, "Oh, and one other thing, you should really be certain of who it is you're handing a criminal off to."

Before the officer could respond, the already shadowy street seemed to grow darker, and from a nearby alley a Luxray dodged out to stand beside the officer holding Valor. The first officer stared in paralyzed shock as beneath Valor, the Luxray, and the other officer a shadowy portal opened, immediately engulfing them and closing behind them, leaving the space they had occupied completely empty.

Valor was down on all fours, feeling an unfortunately familiar nausea. Once the shock of passing through the portal had passed he stood and looked in disbelief at the man standing before him in a police uniform. "You are the most unbelievable son of a bitch I've ever known!"

Galen simply pulled the hat from his head to take a bow, fully revealing his face. "Thank you, thank you. I know, I'm amazing."

Despite the situation Valor found himself smiling. "How n the hell did you even find me?"

Galen gave a sheepish grin in response. "Honestly? Complete and total luck. I've been looking around Johto for weeks trying to track you down, and I was just-as I said to that officer-in the right place at the right time."

"Really? That's it? No mysterious or convoluted explanation? It was just luck?"

"It was really just a text book example of a serendipitous occurrence."

Valor sighed. "Yeah, that sounds like you. Okay then, two questions. One, why the police uniform, and two, where did you get it?"

"There are relatively simple answers to both. I'm wearing it so I could keep a low profile while searching for you and Tamashī. As for where I got it…" He trailed off, his face flushing bright red in what Valor could only assume was embarrassment. "Let's just say my wife had a fantasy she wanted to live out in the bedroom."

"Oh." Valor didn't know how to respond to that. He had never really discussed any thing about fantasies or anything like that with Tamashī. It was that thought that jogged his mind, "Causing him to say, "Oh crap! She's gonna kill me!"

"Who?"

"Who do you think? I promised Tamashī I would stay out of trouble and then, well, this happened. How do you think she'll react when I let her out of her Pokéball and she sees where we are?"

Galen struggled to keep a straight face as he said, "Yeah, you're dead."

"Thanks. Thanks for that." Valor replied with an obvious air of sarcasm.

Valor gulped, then pulled her Pokéball off his belt and silently pressed the button on the front, releasing Tamashī in a flash of light. She immediately stretched out as though she had been in a cramped space, then with a tone of relief said, "Well, I guess things turned out alright the-"

She stopped cold as she realised where they were. She was quiet for a moment, then slowly turned to face Valor. "What did you do?"

Valor looked away, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and guilt. "It wasn't really my fault. An officer in Ecruteak happened to recognize me, then I ran from him…then by sheer luck I quite literally bumped into Galen who then proceeded to…save…both…of…" He trailed off as he struggled not to meet his mate's gaze.

Tamashī sighed. "Well, I suppose it really wasn't you fault. Though this why I didn't want you to go into town in the first place. If Galen hadn't shown up…"

"I know. I'm sorry. I guess I let you down again."

"You idiot, stop doing that. You can't blame yourself for everything and you can't make such a big deal out of every mistake. After all, you only human, so you can't possibly be as perfect as say…me."

Valor smiled, enjoying the familiar playful narcissism. "Perfect huh? I'd say you're pretty close, but totally perfect? I don't think so."

Tamashī raised an eyebrow at him, an irritated look in her eyes. "Oh? And what pray tell are my imperfections, since you seem to think I have some?"

With an amused sort of laugh he pulled her into a gentle hug. "Don't get all huffy. You know what they say, you like people for their good qualities, but you love them for their flaws. I'm pretty sure that idea can be extended to pokémon."

She hugged him back, telepathically saying, "Fine, I guess I can accept that…you know, as long as you love these 'flaws' you seem to think I have."

Galen cleared his throat, drawing their attention. "Look, this is cute and all, but we should get moving."

Valor sighed. "You have a bad habit of killing moments, you know that?"

Galen shrugged. "I suppose, but it doesn't change that we should get moving."

With that he turned and started walking along the path of floating platforms before them, Luxor padding along beside him. With yet another sigh, Valor separated himself from Tamashī, and together they followed after Galen, setting off into the Distortion World's depths.


	18. Chapter 14: The world is changing

As they walked along through the semi-darkness of the Distortion World, through his observations of the place, Valor had come to one conclusion: despite its sinister reputation, the place was incredibly dull.

At first the floating platforms, distorted gravity, paths that curved up to the point of being upside down, and even the odd inverted waterfall were entertaining and even entrancing, but after a while it all just became monotonous. There wasn't really anything to do but keep walking. Even the trepidation over the possibility of running into Giratina had faded, leaving Valor with only a mild curiosity as to where and why it appeared to be hiding.

After they had been walking for what felt like hours, Valor voiced the question that was on his mind. "Hey Galen, where are we going, and when are we going to get there?"

Galen looked back over his shoulder at Valor, then said, "It won't take too much longer. As for where, well, you'll see soon enough. Just be patient."

Valor let out a small sigh, wishing that for once Galen would deign to fill him in on a detail or two. As Galen had said, it didn't take too much longer before he stopped, and mere feet in front of him the portal out of twisted dimension opened. Galen stepped through, closely followed by Luxor. Taking a deep breath, Valor stepped through the portal, Tamashī right by his side.

The first thing that he noticed upon stepping out of it was that he felt less nauseated than he had the first few times. The second thing he noticed was that they were in a cave that was darker than where they had just come from. Once his eyes adjusted, he realized that there was something was…off about the cave. It looked almost as though someone had carved the walls to give it it's shape.

Tamashī, having noticed that as well turned to Galen and asked, "So, where are we? This cave doesn't look natural."

Galen nodded. "You're exactly right. This is no cave. These are the Celestic Ruins."

As they looked around, suddenly shapes that hadn't noticed before came clear. There were several pillars, and some of the walls seemed to have alcoves carved into them. The entrance to the cave also appeared to have some kind of arch around it, and far at the back of the cave was a wall with ancient looking images depicting three creatures gathered in a triangle around an orb of light.

Tamashī returned her attention to Galen, a look of concern in her eyes. "Hold on. The Celestic Ruins…are in Celestic Town. In the Sinnoh Region. Why are we here? Is it really a good idea to be here? I mean, wouldn't anyone looking for us expect us to come to our home region to find somewhere safe to hide?"

"Again Tamashī, you're right. And, as it happens, Twinleaf Town is being closely watched right now, as is Snowpoint City. However, in general it's believed you are still in Johto, and Celestic isn't exactly the kind of town they would expect you to hide in. There aren't a lot of people here, so you can't just blend in here. It's also a bit isolated, so they haven't probably considered that you could even get here. Not only that, but this town is advantageous to us for a couple of reasons, first and foremost being that this town has no police force, or even a local sheriff. It's also-as I said before-a bit isolated. Not only that, but I have an old friend who lives here that's willing to take us in-or more specifically you two-in for at least a couple of nights."

Valor, after the explanation was over, asked, "And how much do you trust this friend?"

"I trust her implicitly. She and I have known each other for over ten years, and I would never doubt that she would help if I asked."

With a smile Tamashī said, "Well, that's good enough for me! Let's go, I'm getting hungry."

Without checking to see if they were following she started walking toward the entrance to the ruins. With an amused laugh Galen followed after her, Valor trailing a further few feet behind, an unsure expression on his face. Even with Galen's assurances, he was still a bit reluctant to trust anyone to know where he and more importantly Tamashī were.

The sun was already setting outside, serving as a reminder of how the Distortion World altered the flow of time and the movement of space when one travelled through it. Galen led them through town, seemingly unconcerned by the fact that they were traveling out in the open. A few minutes of walking to the north brought them to a house that was clearly different from the others in the town.

Whereas most buildings in the town where fairly small, and consisting of one floor, the building before them was larger, and was two stories tall. Though the structure was simply painted, there was something oddly impressive about it. Galen walked up to the simple wood door and knocked several times, then stepped back to wait. A minute later a female voice came through the door. "Yes? Who's there?"

Galen replied with a smirk. "Well, it couldn't possibly be the most handsome, brilliant, powerful-"

"Alright, you've made your point. Only you would pretend to be that narcissistic." There was the sound of a lock being turned, then the door opened. "Though I do wonder sometimes if you really are pretending."

Standing before them was a tall blonde woman dressed in black who looked to be maybe a few years older than Galen. With that same smirk still on his face Galen said, "Come now Cynthia, you know me better than that. I tend to be my own worst critic."

Cynthia returned his smile. "I suppose. And you two must be Valor and Tamashī. I've heard quite a bit about you two from Galen. It's nice to finally meet you."

Tamashī replied to Cynthia's greeting in a similar fashion to how it had been extended, but Valor simply stared in disbelief. "You…you're the…Champion of the Sinnoh League."

Galen shook his head with a sigh, then jokingly asked "Now how is it that you never get this way around me? I mean, she's only the Sinnoh League Champion."

"Yeah…but I've known you since I was like eight years old. This is…new. Uh…sorry, I'm probably embarrassing myself aren't I?"

Cynthia stifled a giggle and said, "Only a little. Believe me, there are people who have reacted far more embarrassingly to meeting me."

With a 'humph' Tamashī said, "I think you're really embarrassing yourself. I mean, what's the big deal about her anyway?"

Valor turned to his mate with a raised eyebrow. "Is that jealousy I'm sensing?"

"Jealous of what?"

"Admit it: you hate it when I pay the slightest bit of attention to any female but you."

As the continued back and forth like that Cynthia leaned in close to Galen and asked, "Is this normal for them?"

Galen gave a weary sigh accompanied by an affirmative nod. "Yeah, it's normal for them." Snapping his fingers to get their attention he said, "Not that this isn't entertaining or anything, but we should probably get inside. Besides, weren't you saying you were hungry Tamashī?"

Reminded of her empty stomach, Tamashī quickly forgot about her 'argument' with Valor. "Oh…yeah. I am pretty hungry. I haven't eaten since breakfast…"

Valor snorted. "Yeah, but you weren't the one who had to run from the police on an empty stomach."

She tried to think of a comeback for that, but she didn't have one. Instead she settled for slipping her paw into his hand and saying, "Well then I guess we should both get something to eat, shouldn't we?"

"I…uh…alright then." Valor replied, slightly caught off guard by her response.

Cynthia sighed. "I suppose I'm setting a table for eight now."

Valor gave her a confused look. "What do you mean eight?"

Cynthia turned to Galen. "You haven't told him yet?"

"I was getting to it. Kid, let's just say that you and Tamashī aren't the only ones I've brought here."

"Then who else is here?"

Galen hesitated for a moment, then said, "It…would be easier if you just saw for yourself."

Without waiting for a response Galen entered Cynthia's house, expecting the others to follow. Valor and Tamashī exchanged confused looks, then followed after him, Cynthia closing the door behind them before following as well.

Following Galen they reached a den near the back of the house-a den already occupied by two familiar faces. Sitting in the room were Zyle and Faerin's Lucario, recognizable by the red scarf tied around his neck. Valor looked back and forth between them, trying to decide which one was more surprising to see. "Okay, I'm gonna need some explanations."

Tamashī nodded. "I agree. What's going on around here?"

Zyle snickered. "Good to see you guys too. I guess I'll explain first, shall I? When we met last time, I was a member of the International Police, and it was supposed to be my job to make sure you two didn't escape the authorities once the magnate train reached Goldenrod."

"You're job was what?!"

Zyle held up his hands. "Calm down, I'm not done yet. Anyway, after meeting you I decided that I couldn't in good conscience do something like that to two uh…beings whose only crime was loving each other. So I told the police in Goldenrod that you weren't on the train. 'Course, when InterPol found out that I had 'screwed up' that badly, I was fired."

The room was quiet for a moment, then Tamashī said, "Thank you. Thank you for making that sacrifice for us."

Zyle waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. That job involved too much paper work anyway. Oh…though I feel I should apologise as well."

Valor gave him a quizzical look. "What for? If it weren't for you, Tamashī and I would have been captured, and neither of us would be sitting here right now."

"Yeah…but it's kind of my fault that there was a warrant for your arrest in the first place. I believe you guys are familiar with a man named Lawrence?"

Valor clenched a fist in anger, and Tamashī suddenly became very still and silent. Valor slowly said, "We…are familiar with him, yes."

"Well, I was the one who interrogated him…and I was also the one he told about your…relationship. And, as if that weren't enough, I am the one who then told my superiors about you. So, for that I apologise."

Yet again silence filled the room. It was Valor who broke the silence. "It's alright. You were just doing your job. Besides, Lawrence would have wound up telling someone else eventually anyway. That and you did help us, so it's kind of hard not to forgive you, right Tamashī?"

She hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

Valor smiled. "See? With the past out of the way, why don't you explain why you're here?"

Zyle shrugged. "I dunno. Ask Galen, he brought me here."

Valor turned to his friend, who was now leaning back against one of the walls of the room, quietly watching. "Care to explain?"

"I sought him out because I thought he could be helpful."

"With what?"

"In due time. Which, by the way, it's not time yet."

Valor sighed. "Fine." He turned to Faerin's Lucario. "So what about you?"

He looked down, his ears and tail drooping with clear sadness. "Well, first off, we were never properly introduced. When I was born, Faerin gave me the name 'Azure'. As for how I got here, well, after Lily Cove, despite trying to move past…losing Faerin…I found myself in a downward spiral of depression. Galen happened to find me, and asked that I come here. He said that if I wanted to be of use, if I wanted to find a new purpose, I should come here."

Before anyone could say anything, Tamashī walked over to Azure and hugged him. "I'm so sorry. I really wish you didn't have to go through this."

Zyle raised an eyebrow at the display, and looked to Valor. "You okay Valor? You don't seem too concerned about your mate hugging a male of her own species."

Tamashī growled in Zyle's direction before returning to comforting Azure. Valor stepped close to Zyle and whispered, "I'm not really worried. I mean, A: she is as loyal to me as I am to her, and B: uh…Azure isn't really into Lucarios…or females."

Zyle's eyes widened in surprise. "Seriously? Well that's…different."

Tamashī stepped away from Azure and turned to look directly at Zyle. "Is it really? After all, look at me and Valor?"

"I uh…didn't realise you could hear me…"

Azure let out a short laugh. "Well, we Lucarios do have better hearing than humans. And yes, what Valor said is true. Though admittedly, the only one I've ever been attracted to was Faerin, so, I guess don't really have a type."

Zyle looked away in embarrassment. "Oh…sorry. I didn't mean to uh…you know…"

"It's fine. Most people-and pokémon-don't really get it."

Valor cleared his throat. "Okay, with that out of the way, would you like to start explaining Galen?"

Galen shook his head. "Not just yet." Then, raising his voice, Galen went on to say, "You two had better come out! You can only hide for so long!"

A minute or two passed and there was no response. Just as Valor was about to ask Galen what was going on, a door on the far side of the room opened, and in came Aitana and her Gardevoir, both with expressions on their faces that displayed a mixture of nervousness and guilt.

The reactions to their presence were immediate. Valor immediately took a step back away from them, and Tamashī began to make a low, threatening growl. Valor looked over to Galen and with clear stress to his tone said, "You had better explain this. RIGHT NOW."

Galen gestured to Aitana and the Psychic-type, "I think it would better if they explained."

Valor shook his head. "Oh no. No, I do NOT want to hear anything these two have to say. Not after what they did to-"

He was cut off by Aitana quietly saying "Valor, please just listen to what I-we-have to say."

Valor slowly turned to look at her. There was a pleading sort of sincerity in her eyes. With a heavy sigh Valor conceded. "Fine. You have five minutes. Tamashī, stop growling, at least for now."

Tamashī stopped growling, looking at her mate in disbelief. "You can't be serious!"

"I am. We'll hear what they have to say, then we can decide how to deal with them. Aitana, get started."

Aitana gulped, on edge due to the cold death stare Tamashī was giving her. "W-well, first off, I-that is we- want to apologise for…well, everything we put you through. Right Gardevoir?"

Gardevoir nodded in agreement, then Aitana continued. "We…came here to help you. When we heard about what had happened to the two of you…we decided that we should do something to help you because we…kind of…owe you."

"For what?"

Aitana and Gardevoir exchanged soft smiles before she went on to say, "We owe you because, well first because of the trouble we caused you, but also because if it weren't for the two of you…Gardevoir and I never would have…gotten together."

It was quiet for a moment, then Valor spoke. "I am…not going to forgive you as easily as you would apparently like me to, but if you really want to help I guess that's okay. However, my opinion doesn't matter here. Not as much as Tamashī's."

Tamashī blinked in surprise. "My opinion?"

"That's right. I won't force you to accept their help or presence. I don't want to do anything in this situation that you aren't okay with."

Tamashī sat there for a moment, weighing the options. Then, she reached a decision. "I'm not saying I trust or forgive either of you, but I will accept your help if you really feel like you owe us. However, I will be keeping an eye on both of you. Especially YOU." She pointed to Gardevoir when she said that, then said, "One wrong move, and you will dearly regret it. Am I understood?"

Both of them nodded nervously in response. Satisfied-at least partially-Tamashī asked of the room in general, "Now where do we stand on dinner?"

Everyone but Aitana and Gardevoir struggled to stifle laughter at her sudden change in priorities and attitude. Cynthia cleared her throat and said, "Well, I suppose I'll get started on that then. Azure, Zyle, would you two mind giving me a hand?"

Azure stood up with a smile. "Sure. Glad to help."

Zyle on the other hand was not nearly so compliant. "Do you really need my help? I mean-"

"Either you help me in with dinner, or you get your ass tossed out on the street. Your choice."

Zyle reluctantly stood and followed after her and the male Lucario, grumbling and irritated about being so easily manipulated.

When they were gone, Valor turned to Galen and asked, "So do you think you could explain why we're here?"

Galen shook his head. "Not yet. It's a conversation that involves everyone here. Just wait until after dinner. I promise I'll explain everything then."

"Fine, but I'm gonna hold you to that."

"Whatever you need to do. Now, if you don't mind, I would like to take this time to change into normal clothes."

With that he left the room, his footsteps retreating upstairs, leaving Valor and Tamashī alone with Aitana and her Gardevoir. An awkward silence filled the room. Valor cleared his throat. "So, you and Gardevoir huh?"

Aitana nodded, a gentle smile on her lips. "Yeah. Now, I think I finally get why you care so much about Tamashī. I finally figured out the difference between love and obsession."

Tamashī scoffed. "I doubt it."

It was Gardevoir who spoke then, his telepathic voice ringing out in all of their minds. "I know it may be hard to believe, but we have changed. And uh…even though it's been stated already…I personally wanted to apologise as well. Looking back…I feel awful about what I did."

Valor let out a sigh. "Look, let's just stop with all the apologising. I appreciate the sentiment, but let's just move on, okay?"

Gardevoir nodded quietly, and Aitana simply said, "Okay."

Silence fell on the room once more until a short while later Azure came and told them dinner was ready. They then all left for the dining room, Tamashī keeping a close eye on Aitana and Gardevoir just as she had said she would.

Once all of their stomachs were full and the table was cleared, the eight of them arranged themselves around said table for the second time that night. Galen, now back in his usual clothes, was the first to speak. "Now, I know that all of you are waiting for explanations. Some of you already know bits and pieces of what is going on, but some of you have no idea whatsoever. So, in order to make sure everyone knows everything they need to, I'm going to start from the very beginning."

Galen was quiet for the shortest of moments, then he continued. "No one is quite sure how old our world is, but we do know one thing: humans are a relatively new species on this planet as compared to some of the most ancient creatures that in habit our world."

Zyle held up a hand, stopping him. "Hold on, what creatures are you talking about?"

It was Cynthia who answered. "He's referring to pokémon. Specifically species like the Unown, or Mew…Latios and Latias, Rayquaza, Heatran, Regigigas, Zekrom and Reshiram, and the list goes on. He is referring to species and even individual pokémon that are as old as this planet."

Galen nodded. "Exactly. Though we humans in our narcissism often forget this, we are far from being the greatest creatures produced by evolution. The most industrial and technological yes, but not the greatest. Not the fastest, not the strongest, and arguably not even the most intelligent. Yet in spite of this, we tend to have the audacity to decide what is best for the whole world and all that inhabit it."

Valor cut in to ask, "What does this have to do with what's going on with me and Tamashī?"

Galen gave a weary sigh before responding. "Kid, one of these days I really hope you will learn to be patient enough to let me explain everything at the right pace and in the right order. Now, where was I?"

"Humans have unbelievable audacity." Tamashī reminded him.

"Right. That. Well, as you may well know, there was a time when humans lived alongside nature just as pokémon do. In some places, people still do live with a very close connection to nature. In fact, for the last three or four decades people have been making a concerted effort to be more connected with nature. But we are still missing what we used to have, and I doubt we will ever get it back."

Galen paused again, then went on. "Now, I don't know how much reading anyone in this room does, but there is a library in Canalave City. On the top floor of that library, there are many books that tell of the myths and legends of not only Sinnoh, but of every region in the world. If read in the right order, those legends are more than just stories, they are the history of this world, as well as the history of pokémon, and the history of were mankind comes from. Now there is one book in that library that, if you know what to look for, makes a somewhat veiled reference to a very interesting period in history."

Aitana tilted her head to one side in confusion. "What period would that be?"

"There was a time when not only was it socially acceptable to form a relationship between a human and a pokémon, but there were even official, sanctified marriages between them."

Galen paused for long enough to let that sink in, taking note of their varied reactions. Cynthia was unsurprised as she was familiar with the texts he was referring to, and Zyle was sitting there in stunned silence at the information. As for the other five, their expressions were all mixtures of awe and disbelief.

Satisfied that they understood, Galen continued. "However, this period of history didn't last, as I'm sure you can all see. Over time, people who were…afraid, or who didn't understand, or who simply thought interspecies relationships were wrong, came to change things for the worse. People became…intolerant. Some people came to think that they knew better than anyone else what it meant to love. Some came to think that they knew what was best for everyone. That was what led to things as they are today."

All was quiet, than Valor asked, "So, what does all that mean for our situation?"

Galen smiled then. "There has been a shift. You and Tamashī might as well have been living under a rock for the last month. People were inspired. They were inspired by someone as young as you fighting to be with the one you love. Now, two sides have sprung up. Three if you count those who are neutral. Right now a political conflict is taking place between those who want to change things, and don't want to keep others from being with whoever they want to be with. Then there's the other side, who want to keep things the way they are. Those are the people who think it's wrong for beings of different species to love each other. But here's the real kicker: on our side, we have quite a few high profile supporters. Believe it or not, most Gym Leaders, and all of the Elite Four and Champions of every region are supporting us, not to mention around half of all trainers, and a rather significant portion of the general population as well."

When he stopped, Tamashī asked, "So what does all of that mean?"

"It means the world is changing. And if things work out in our favour, it will be a change for the better. However, there is a problem."

Valor sighed. "Of course there is. There's always a problem. Well, what is it?"

"You. Well, you and Tamashī. You see, even though you two have provided inspiration to some, to others you two are big walking targets. If you two get captured, then suddenly there comes a drop in morale that leads to the dissolution of everything that could be accomplished. You two have become a symbol for the change that can come. So, not only do we have to deal with that, but there is the ever present threat of the Guardians finding you. If that happens, it's game over for Tamashī."

The room went deadly quiet as the meaning of that sunk in. Then, Valor spoke. "So, what then? Do you have a plan or…something?"

Galen nodded. "The easiest thing to do is get you two out of the way. Somewhere where there isn't really any danger of you being found. Unfortunately, that narrows down the places where you two go. So, with that in mind, Cynthia and I have made arrangements for you to travel to the Oblivia Region. It's fairly small, but there isn't any form of law enforcement, unless you count the Pokémon Rangers."

Feeling a glimmer of anger Valor asked. "So you're solving your problem by just brushing us out of your way then?"

Galen shook his head. "No. We are getting you out of the way for the sake of both of you continuing to live. And, if it makes you feel any better, it's not just you. We're sending Zyle with you."

With an indignant tone Zyle said, "Hey, I did not agree to that!"

With a bemused smile Galen replied, saying, "Too bad. You're going with them. I need to have someone keeping them safe and out of trouble."

"I'm not gonna be somebody's babysitter just because you tell me to!"

Valor nodded. "I agree. Tamashī and I can handle ourselves."

Galen was about to say something, but Tamashī interrupted him to say, "Valor, I'm sorry, but history is against us on that. We could definitely use the help."

Valor scoffed. "Fine, I can accept that, but what use is he gonna be to us?"

"Oh, you think I won't be of use to you huh?" Zyle asked. "Well, I dare say these would beg to differ." With a certain amount of flourish Zyle reached beneath his coat and produced twin pistols for all to see. "I may not be with InterPol anymore, but I still have a license to carry fire arms."

Valor tensed up at the sight of the weapons. "Fine, you've made your point. Just put those away before you hurt someone."

"As you wish."

Valor released a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding once the guns were safely holstered once more. Looking at Galen he said, "Alright, I don't really feel comfortable about traveling with someone who uses guns, but if he really has to come with us, then fine."

"So you've accepted going to Oblivia then?"

"If it's fine with Tamashī, then yes." He paused for a moment, favouring his mate with a loving smile before saying, "But as for me, I would do anything to keep her safe, so this does seem like the best solution."

Tamashī hugged him tightly and nuzzled his neck as soon as he finished. "Of course I'm okay with it. Besides, it'll be nice if we can relax and not have to worry about whether or not we'll still have our freedom at the end of the day."

"Good. And you Zyle?"

He hesitated for a moment, then acquiesced. "Fine, I'll do it."

Azure, who up until that point had been quiet asked, "So what about the rest of us? What are we doing?"

Aitana gave a nod. "I've been wondering about that too."

Galen cleared his throat. "Well, the plan right now, is that we are basically splitting into three groups. Zyle, Tamashī and Valor will, as we have already established, be going to the Oblivia Region. Cynthia is going to be working the political side of things, trying to push for the legal changes that are crucial to our situation. Aitana, you and Gardevoir will be assisting her in that in what ever way she may require."

Tamashī canted her head upon hearing that. "Hold on, I don't really know how humans decide who is more important, but, if Cynthia is just the Sinnoh Champion, and you are the World Champion, wouldn't that make you the more influential one, and therefore the one who would be better to affect a change like that?"

Galen gave a short laugh. "You know more than you give yourself credit for. In a normal situation, you would probably be right. But, Cynthia tends to have better control of her emotions then I do, and we need someone with a level head to be in that position. Not only that, but bringing us to what Azure and I will be doing, there is a more difficult job to be had."

The male Lucario blinked in confusion. "I'm going with you?"

Galen nodded. "That's right. You and I have the lovely little job of trying to get the Guardian Council of Elders to change multiple centuries worth of entrenched dogma about how a Guardian forming a sexual relationship with a Lucario is a perversion of the sacred bond between them."

Azure gulped. "Sound like a tonne of fun," he said, not meaning a word of it.

"So, with that out of the way, I have a question. How exactly are you getting us to Oblivia?" Valor asked.

"Simple," was the response. "In three days there will be a ship docking in Canalave City. You, Tamashī and Zyle will be boarding the ship and taking it to Oblivia. However, it's going to take about a week to get there because the ship you're going on is a cruise liner that will be taking what we might call the scenic route."

Tamashī's expression became one of concern. "Hold on, how are we going to get into a well populated port without attracting attention? Not to mention trying to stay hidden while on a ship full of people. I just don't see how this is going to work."

"Well, the ship part is easy enough, Tamashī. Just as long as you stay in the room we've gotten for you and Valor, you should be fine. As for getting into Canalave, you're going to have to do the same thing that Valor had you do in Ecruteak. Valor and Zyle walk into town, and you stay in you're Pokéball until they're safely on the ship and Valor can let you out."

Tamashī sighed with a shudder. "Great. I manage to avoid being in a Pokéball for all this time, and now I have to be in it twice in the space of a week. I really hope this doesn't become a consistent thing."

Valor placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, and with a mournful smile he said, "This'll be the last time, I promise."

"Fine. I guess if it's what we have to do, I can deal with it."

Stifling a yawn Galen said, "Good. Well, I think that's everything, so I suggest we all get some sleep."

Everyone started to get up, but all stopped when Valor said, "Hold on. I have something I'd like to ask you Galen."

Galen blinked in a combination of surprise and tiredness, then said, "Well, let's hear it then."

"Well…it's just that you…have risked a lot to help Tamashī and me. I mean, you've risked your life to help us. I know you're our friend and all, but even for a friend you seem to have gone above what most friends would have done for…anyone. So, I'm wondering…if maybe there's some other reason you've been so willing to help us."

The room was then filled with silence. Galen seemed to be filled with indecision for a few minutes before he finally answered. "Yes. I do have another reason. I'm so determined to help and protect the two of you…because I don't want to see either of you with your heart broken the same way mine was. When I look at the two of you…I'm reminded very much of my first relationship…and my first love. If I can help it, I'd like to prevent your relationship from ending anything like mine did."

Cynthia gave Galen a strange look, as though she didn't understand. "Galen…I knew your first girlfriend. I saw that relationship. There was no way you were as heart broken as you claim to have been after that relationship ended."

Galen shook his head with a sad smile on his lips. "No Cynthia. You knew my first girlfriend, but that was not my first relationship. I fell in love for the first time almost a year before that."

"With who?"

Galen hesitated, looking around at the curious expressions directed at him. "The first time I fell in love…my first relationship…was with…a Ninetales."

Everyone fell into a shocked silence. The Zyle spoke. "Okay, am I the only person in this room who is attracted to their own species?!"

Seeing that Galen was struggling to keep his emotions in check, Cynthia answered for both of them. "Zyle, Galen married a human, and he is very much in love with her, even after they've been together for nine years. And as for me, I've never been attracted to a pokémon."

"Oh, well, now I don't feel quite so outnumbered," Zyle replied with clear sarcasm.

Showing the slightest irritation, Cynthia said, "Well then maybe you should just join up with every other person who thinks it's a problem."

"Look, I didn't say I had a problem with it, I'm just starting to feel like the only normal human in this room!"

It was Aitana who responded then, clearly becoming irritated at the man. "The only normal human?! What the hell does that mean?!"

As they continued arguing back and forth, eventually drawing Valor and even Azure into the argument, Tamashī stood there quietly, watching Galen as he seemed to struggle to fight back against whatever painful emotions he was feeling. There was something she was trying to remember. Somehow what he had said…seemed to tweak at some piece of information in her head, but she couldn't figure out what. Then, unbidden, the pieces suddenly fell together in her mind.

"HEY EVERYBODY SHUT UP!"

Tamashī's telepathy rang out in all their minds, breaking their focus on their argument. With the room now quiet, Tamashī asked, "Galen, not to be insensitive, but how did that relationship end?"

"Well…we were…together for about six months…and then one day she just…disappeared. She left…and I never knew why."

Tamashī turned to her mate and said, "Valor, do you get it yet?"

"Get what?"

Showing some rather clear embarrassment, Tamashī asked, "You know last night when we…uh…had that-for lack of a better word-fight? You know, when it was raining?"

Valor tensed up and looked away from her. "Yeah. I remember."

"Well, last night I talked to Mesprit. Besides trying to convince me to go back to you…she also told me about this couple she used to know of near Twinleaf Town. She said that couple consisted of a human and a Ninetales. I think Galen was the human."

Glen gave her a strange look, a mixture of confusion and sadness. "So what? When she and I were together we spent a lot of time near Lake Verity. It wouldn't surprise me if The Being of Emotion knew about us."

"Yeah, I get that. But see, Mesprit also told me something else. She told me that the reason the Ninetales left the human-or Galen as it were-was because she had become…well…Mesprit told me that the Ninetales had become pregnant and she left so as to protect…well…you."

Galen stood there dumbstruck by the information, as did most of the others. Valor however, had the same sudden revelation that Tamashī had. Looking at his mate he quietly asked, "You don't think…I mean she couldn't be, could she?"

"If you're talking about who I think you are, then yes, I think she is."

Galen looked back and forth between them, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Wait, what are you two talking about?"

Valor hesitated briefly, then, with an affirmative nod from Tamashī, he said, "Galen, do you remember my Ninetales? You know, Kasai? Well, I-we-think that she may be…your daughter…"

"Explain yourself. What makes you think that?"

Valor took a few minutes, with help from Tamashī, to explain what Kasai had revealed to Tamashī in Solaceon Town. When they finished, Galen heavily sat down, a disbelieving expression on his face. Everyone else stood there quietly, no one wanting to say anything before Galen reacted. When he spoke again he asked, "What colour are her eyes?"

Valor looked at him in confusion. "Who's eyes?"

"Kasai. What do her eyes look like?"

"I don't-"

"Alright, I'll make this easy for you. All Ninetales have red eyes…except the one I loved. Her eyes were orange. So I ask again: What colour are Kasai's eyes?"

It was Tamashī who answered, saying, "Her eyes are orange as well."

"Well…then the two of you may very well be right. She may be my daughter. But I would have to see her myself to know for sure. Tamashī…Valor…thank you. I'm…glad I found out about this."

Galen stood and started to leave the room. "If you don't mind, I'm going to go outside. I need some air…and some time to think. I'll see you all in the morning."

And like that he was gone, leaving the room filled by an awkward silence. It was broken a moment or two later by Cynthia. "I uh…I'm going to go get things cleaned up in the kitchen. The rest of you should get some sleep."

She quickly walked out, leaving just the six of them in the room. Without a word to anyone Zyle left the room and was soon followed by Aitana and Gardevoir both of whom also left in silence. Azure left then, offering only a simple 'goodnight' to Valor and Tamashī

After another few quiet seconds, Valor said, "Come on. We should get to sleep too."

Tamashī nodded. "I guess so. I'm kinda worried about Galen though…"

Valor smiled gently. "He'll be fine. He can handle himself. Besides, he wouldn't want us to worry about him."

She took a deep breath, then she replied. "You're probably right. So, off to bed then?"

Valor nodded, then took her paw in his hand, and together they went upstairs, quickly finding a room with a simple sign on it that said it was for them. Once inside, the two of them quickly fell asleep, exhausted by all that had transpired over the course of the day.

In the room she and Gardevoir shared, Aitana paced back and forth across the wood floor, unable to fall asleep with her mind occupied as it was. From his seat on the bed, Gardevoir watched his trainer with concern. Ever since they had begun their relationship, she had seemed so much more relaxed and carefree. He didn't like seeing her so seemingly concerned. Reaching out to touch her mind with his he asked, "Aitana, what's wrong?"

She stopped in her pacing long enough to glance at him, then she began again, her waist length hair trailing behind her, not unlike a great copper coloured tail. "I'm just…thinking…about what we've seen and heard today."

"Oh. Anything specific?"

She stopped again, hesitating. "Well, to start with, I'm wondering about…well…"

She trailed off leaving Gardevoir in the dark about her thoughts. If it weren't for respect for her he might have read her mind, but to him that seemed to violate the newfound connection between them. Just as he was about to ask if she intended to finish what she had been saying, she quickly turned to face him, her hair whipping around behind her. "Gardevoir I think I want to have kids!"

He flinched in surprise. He had never thought that she had ever thought about having children. It made sense though, that she was considering it. Regaining his usual composure he asked, "Is this because of what is going on with Galen?"

Showing some embarrassment now she nodded quietly. Gardevoir smiled at her. Even though he hadn't considered it until that moment, he liked the idea of the two of them having children. "Well, I don't see any problem with that. Actually…I…think I like the idea."

She blushed in response, then she smiled as well. "Wow, really? I didn't know how you would feel about that. I'm…I'm glad that we're in the same place with that."

"Alright then, was that it? Or is there something else on your mind?"

Once again she hesitated before speaking. "Okay, honestly? It's Valor and Tamashī. I didn't expect then to completely forgive us or anything, but…I was hoping for a slightly more positive response."

Gardevoir considered that for a moment, then said, "After…what we did…especially what I did…to them, I can't really blame them. And truth be told, I'm surprised Tamashī didn't attack us on sight like she did last time. So, I don't think we should worry. They have…tentatively forgiven us, and I think that to ask for more than that would be foolish."

Aitana sighed. "Why do you have to be so damn smart? I know I shouldn't let myself worry about it…but I just can't help it. I still feel so awful about what happened between us and them."

Gardevoir stood and walked over to her. He then hugged her loosely, being careful not to get his crimson coloured chest spike too close to his beloved trainer. "I feel bad about it too, but continuing to worry doesn't help anyone."

She nodded, then carefully laid her head on his shoulder, getting as close to him as was safe. Seeing that she was still focusing her thoughts on darker places he half jokingly said, "Well, if you wan to take your mind off these things, I'm sure I could help with that…"

Aitana started giggling, not stopping for a full minute. Once she finally regained control of herself, she looked into his eyes and, with the same joking manner asked, "Is nailing me all you think about?"

Putting on a fake hurt expression Gardevoir said, "Of course not! It's just what I'm thinking about right now."

Aitana stifled a laugh. "Alright then. I guess I could use a distraction."

She took a step back from Gardevoir, a seductive smile on her lips. Slowly, if only to make him impatient, she began pulling her clothes off, first pulling her shirt off to expose her naked torso. Next to come off were her jeans, slowly being slid down her toned legs until she could step out of them. Gardevoir's face turned bright red as she slid off her panties, dropping them lightly on top of her other clothes. Seeing his expression she giggled. "You are so easy to embarrass, you know that?"

"Well I uh…I mean I…I…" Gardevoir could do little more than stammer in response, causing her to giggle again. Even after seeing her like this so many times over the last two and a half months, the sight never failed to make him blush.

"Not so clever when you're turned on, are you?" Without giving him a chance to respond she stepped forward and locked her lips with his.

His slim green arms instantly flew to her body, caressing her curves and her soft, smooth skin. It always astounded him how soft she felt to the touch, almost silky in fact, and with a subtle warmth that felt ever so comforting.

He felt a pang of disappointment when she stepped away from him a moment later, but quickly got over it when she climbed into the bed and laid herself back against the headboard with her legs spread wide, her glistening sex inviting him to take her.

He wasted no time in joining her, positioning his body over hers then pressing his alabaster erection against her now dripping entrance. Placing his hands on either side of her waist for leverage he gently pushed past the labia, stretching her passageway until he was fully engulfed by the hot, tight opening.

She released a single, quiet moan of pleasure from the sensation of her beloved Gardevoirs manhood filling her so completely, then began biting her lip as he started to thrust, his hips impacting time and again against hers with a less than quiet smack each time.

As her lover focused on burying himself as deeply as possible within her, she reached one of her hands down to the area ever so slightly above where he continued to slide in and out of her body, and began to stimulate her swollen clit, massaging and rubbing it to heighten her own pleasure.

Of course, Gardevoir knew better than to be so selfish as to only think of himself. While he focused his body on keeping up the pattern of thrust and retreat, he turned his mind to a different task. Reaching out with his psychic abilities he gently brushed against her mind, immediately drawing the now familiar sharp intake of air that indicated she felt his presence in her mind.

Gently at first so as not to send her mind into a state of shock or panic, he began to apply his mental influence to the pleasure centres of her brain, sending her mind reeling as the combination of physical and mental sensations threatened to make her lose total control of her mental faculties.

However, Gardevoir had found another useful trick he could perform with his powers. Despite all that she was feeling, her body was unable to reach a climax because he was using a portion of his power to keep her from reaching that point before the time was right. Or in other words, he was keeping her from finishing until he was sure she had enjoyed the experience as much as possible.

As soon as he felt she was close to passing out from sheer pleasure he released his hold on her mind. With his influence gone from her mind an orgasm ripped through her body, her muscles contracting around him until he too could hold back no longer, releasing a flood of his virile seed into her body.

Gardevoir pulled himself from her body a laid down beside her. With both of them physically and mentally exhausted they quickly fell into a deep and contented sleep.

In the sky above the stars were shining and the sounds of pokémon like Kricketune filled the otherwise quite night air. Galen sat outside of Cynthia's house, leaning back against the wall only a few feet to the right of the front door. Ever since he had come outside that was where he had been, simply looking up at the sky and letting his mind wander. Of course he had also thought about the daughter he had just found out he might have, but mostly he had just let his thought follow whatever path the fell upon.

He was distracted from his introspection by the sound of the door opening. He looked over to see Cynthia step out side, and watched with mild curiosity as she quietly sat down beside him. When she didn't say anything he returned to looking up at the moon and stars, until she interrupted his thoughts again to ask, "So, how are you doing?"

Galen let out a short laugh in response. "Well let's see. I just revealed one of my most closely guarded secrets to you, two other friends and four more or less complete strangers-a secret that, by the way that not even my wife is aware of. Then I found out I may have had a daughter for the last ten years and that she also happens to be a Ninetales. And to top it all off, even if I find the courage and/or resolve to go meet her, there's a pretty high chance that she will hate me the moment I tell her who I am. So, how do you think I'm doing?"

"I would guess you're a little frustrated and stressed out."

"Yeah. Just a little."

"So, what are you going to do about the whole…daughter thing?"

Galen hesitated before answering. "I think that-at least for now-I'm not going to do anything about it. We all have more immediate concerns. Once this whole thing with changing the world is over-whether it ends well or not-then I'll worry about my personal issues."

"Fair enough. So, next question, if you don't mind. What role do Valor and Tamashī have to play on all of this? Something makes me doubt you're sending them to Oblivia just so people won't lose their source of inspiration."

"Well, it's also because if the Guardians get a hold of them then Tamashī won't survive. And they're my friends; I want to protect them."

Cynthia shook her head. "I know you too well Galen. None of those answers are lies, but you're still not telling me everything."

"I…can't and shouldn't tell you everything. And because I know you well enough to know you'll ask why, it's simply because there are certain things that no one should know."

Cynthia let out a sigh of defeat. "Fine, be that way. But I do wish that you would stop putting the weight of the world on your shoulders."

"Hey you know me. Always the hero, always trying to do things that are too big for me to handle, always trying to save people, and yes, always taking sole responsibility for making sure the world doesn't plunge into darkness and chaos."

Cynthia laughed at that. "Yeah. There's a list of things you've been doing for what, ten years now?"

"Just about. 'Course, you were there for a few of those adventures."

"True, but you were always the one who got things done. Probably why you wound up beating me to become the champion of the Sinnoh League even when you were still a relatively new trainer."

Galen favoured her with wry smile. "Sure, I mean beating you only took me what, three tries?"

Cynthia stifled a laugh as the memories came to her. "Exactly three. But you never gave up, even after one complete thrashing and one very close match."

"Two close matches. Even when I beat you it was still a very slim victory."

Both of them fell silent as they reminisced about what now seemed like such simple days. After a short while Cynthia spoke again, quietly, and with a certain air of reluctance. "You know…it's time like this…and when I think about just who it is you've become…that I really regret rejecting you all those years ago."

"Ah jeez…are we really going down that road? 'Cause I'm pretty sure you know what I'm gonna say on the topic."

Cynthia sighed. "Yes. I do. You're going to say that it's my own fault and that I-in retrospect-had a stupid reason for shooting you down."

Galen nodded with a satisfied smile. "Yep. That about sums it up."

"Well, on that note, I do believe I'm going to turn in for the night, unless you don't think you'll be okay alone out here."

Galen waved a hand dismissively. "I'll be fine. Got get some sleep. I'm not gonna stay out here for much longer anyway."

Cynthia nodded. "Alright then. Goodnight." She hesitated for a moment, then, so quickly that he almost wasn't sure it had actually happened, she gave him a kiss on the cheek, then got up and went back inside, leaving him alone with his thoughts once more.

A short while later Galen got up, then he too returned to the inside of the house, his eyes heavy with the exhaustion of his day up to that point. The moment his head hit the pillows on the bed in his temporary room he was asleep, his conscious mind giving way to dreams.

When Valor woke the next morning he blinked in mild surprise as he realised that his mate was not beside him. Looking around he quickly found her. She was looking out one of the bedroom windows, her tail wagging madly. A smile that was equal parts amusement and confusion formed on his lips at the sight. "Good morning Tamashī. What's so interesting?"

She turned to face him, a happy smile on her face. "Good morning! Look Valor, It's snowing outside!"

Valor climbed out of bed a came to stand beside her. Looking out the window he could see that it was in fact lightly snowing outside. When Valor looked back to her she was again looking out the window, her nose pressed to the cool glass as she watched the white bits of fluff fall to the ground below. A loving smile took its place upon his face as he looked at her. He was glad to see her so happy, even if it was over something so simple. "I know you're enjoying yourself, but what do you say we get some breakfast?"

She hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. I guess I can look at the snow more later."

Together they left the room and began to make their way through the house to the stairs. "So, why do you like snow so much anyway?" He asked of her as they walked.

"Why wouldn't I like it? It's pretty and fun to roll around in…and cold days can be so cozy when you're cuddling with someone else to keep warm…" she punctuated that last bit with a saucy little wink in his direction.

Valor laughed for a brief moment, then said, "Alright, I guess those are pretty good reasons. I'm especially fond of the last one though."

"You would be, you pervert."

"Me a pervert? What about all the jokes and innuendos that you come up with?"

"I'm certain I don't know what you're talking about."

Valor shook his head with a smile. "Of course you don't."

She was about to say something else when they entered the dining room and were bombarded by a discordant chorus of good mornings from everyone who was already sitting at the table, which was everyone, with the exception of Galen.

Valor blinked is surprise at the greetings, then, as he and Tamashī sat down replied, saying, "Uh, good morning everyone."

Cynthia gave a weary smile. "Well, so much for taking a moment to enjoy my own breakfast. I'll get the two of you something to eat, shall I?"

"Uh, thanks, that would be great. Sorry if we're causing any inconvenience."

Cynthia shook her head in response. "Don't worry about it. I'll be back in a few minutes."

She then swept out of the room, headed for the kitchen. Looking around, Valor asked of the room in general, "So, where's Galen?"

Aitana answered, saying, "No idea. I figured he was still asleep."

Zyle nodded. "Same here."

"Oh. Alright then."

Not as easily convinced as Valor was, Tamashī closed her eyes and did a quick search through the house for Galen's Aura. "He's not here. He must have left before anyone else woke up. That or he never came back in last night."

"Neither actually. I was awake when he left this morning." They all looked to see Cynthia re-entering the room carrying two plates of food which she proceeded to set down in front of Valor and Tamashī respectively. "He said he had something to do this morning. He should be back soon enough."

"Perhaps sooner than you think."

They all turned in response to see Galen sauntering into the room, brushing snow from his shoulders with his usual confident half smile in place on his lips. He took a seat at the end of the table across from Cynthia, fully aware of the fact that all eyes in the room were on him. Cynthia let put an exasperated sigh. "For Arceus' sake I just sat down! Sometimes you have the worst sense of timing, you know that?"

Galen chuckled in response. "Yeah, I know. And don't bother getting up. I already had breakfast at the Pokémon Center since I was there anyway."

Azure gave Galen a curious look. "What business did you have at the Pokémon Center so early in the morning, and in such chilly weather for that matter?"

Pointing his fork at Galen Zyle cut in to say, "The better question is: Did Nurse Joy happen to mention me?"

Aitana let out a sigh. "Pipe down you man whore! You spent one night with her a week ago. She's not going to mention it to people she doesn't even know are associated with you!"

Zyle scoffed. "Man whore? Forgive me for enjoying the many possibilities of not being tied down to one woman. And for the record, she said I was among the best she had ever had."

"AMONG the best. Not the best. So shut up and stop acting like you're some kind of sex god. Galen, would you please answer Azure's question so we can move past this topic?"

Galen snickered, then a replied. "Gladly Aitana. I went to the Center at such an early hour because I wanted to test something. Or more specifically because I wanted to test Valor."

Valor and Tamashī both looked up from their food in confusion. They had been making an attempt to stay out of the conversation as it had seemed to be taking a bit of an ugly turn, but now they really had no choice but to get involved. "What do you mean 'test me'?" he asked.

"Well you see, because this could be the last time we see each other for a while, I wanted to answer a question that's been on my mind for a while. After you battled Red in Twinleaf, I couldn't help but wonder if that victory was just a fluke, so I-"

He was cut off by Cynthia appearing to choke on a mouthful of food. When she had recovered she asked with clear disbelief, "He beat Red in a battle?!"

Galen nodded. "Just barely, and it was only one-on-one, but yes. Which brings me to what I was saying before. I want to k now how strong a trainer you've actually become Valor. I want to put your pokémon through their paces against other members of their respective species to see how they stack up. After all, there's no denying your pokémon are strong, but I'd like to know how strong."

Valor gulped. "So, what then? You want to pit my Aggron against yours? My Milotic against yours? That kind of thing?"

Galen blinked in surprise. "Wait. Milotic? Is…that the same Milotic you liberated from Lawrence?"

Valor nodded, then quickly explained how he had come to obtain Umi when everyone else gave him questioning looks. Galen let out a small sigh. "Damn. Now I have to go back to the center. I pulled out my Kingdra thinking that was what I was going to be fighting against. Alright, let's meet back behind Cynthia's house in about half an hour so that I can go get my Milotic."

Without another word Galen got up and left. Tamashī let out a sigh once she was sure he was out of ear shot. "I suppose that means I'll be fighting my father."

Valor laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It could be worse. I shudder to think what kind of Aggron or Eelectross a guy like Galen could have. This is gonna be tough on all six of you one way or another."

Aitana chose that moment to chime in with her opinion. "You know, you could just not battle him."

Valor shook his head. "Unfortunately I can say with the confidence that comes from experience that he won't take no for an answer. We'll just have to grit our teeth and do the best we can."

The room then fell into a somewhat uncomfortable silence as they finished their respective meals. About half an hour later they all stood in the thin layer of snow behind Cynthia's house, waiting for Galen to return. Though Valor had alluded to not wanting spectators, everyone was interested to see how things would turn out.

After they had all been waiting for several minutes Galen came around the corner of the house, walking quickly. "Sorry I'm a bit late. Snow slowed me down a bit. Alright kid, let's get started!"

Galen took up a position at one end of the yard, indicating that he wanted Valor to stand at the other end. Once Valor and Tamashī were in position Galen gave a satisfied nod. "Alright, this will be a full six-on-six battle. However, our pokémon will only be allowed to battles against members of their own species. Each round will conclude only when one or both trainers' pokémon are unable to continue. As the challenger, I defer choice of first pokémon to Valor."

Valor nodded. He was determined not to send Tamashī out to fight until he absolutely had to, so instead he plucked Seiza's ball off his belt and released the bird pokémon onto the battlefield. With a certain amount of flourish, Galen pulled a Pokéball from under his jacket and called out, "You're on, Star!"

Appearing in a flash of light came Galen's own female Staraptor, 'Star'. It immediately became clear who had the size advantage, as Star was visibly larger than Seiza. "The first move is yours Valor!"

Valor nodded, a determined expression appearing on his face. Even if he was out matched-which he was aware that he most likely was-he was going to go down fighting. Not pulling any punches, Valor decided to start off with Seiza's strongest attack. "Seiza, Brave Bird!"

Galen responded in kind, commanding Star to do the same. Both Flying-types became cloaked in blue, flame like energy, then both surged forward. The two of them raced toward the center of the battlefield, the snow beneath them being thrown to the sides of the yard in massive bursts as the sheer force of their speed disturbed it. When the two collided in the center of the battlefield there was a brief instant when they couldn't be seen, as they were shrouded both by snow and by a flash of white hot light from the pure energy generated by the impact.

When the snow settled and the light faded they both appeared, hovering in the air. Both Seiza and Star were flapping their wings as they fought to stay aloft, both of them breathing heavily as they dealt with not only the damage they had taken from each other, but also the damage caused by Brave Bird's recoil.

Valor cursed under his breath. Though they were both still in the fight, it was clear that Seiza had taken more damage than Star. In an attempt to counter Galen's ability to have Star deal even more damage, Valor called out, "Seiza, use Double Team!"

At his command a dozen illusionary copies of Seiza appeared, causing Star to look around in confusion, trying to figure out which one was really her opponent. Galen however, seemed unfazed by the predicament he and his pokémon were faced with. With a snap of his fingers he pointed skyward and called out, "Star! Combo strike! Flying Ace! Hit as many of them as you can until you find the real one!"

Valor and Seiza both watched in confusion as Star rocketed high into the crisp blue sky. When she reached the apex of her ascent, she dove back down, using what appeared to be a combination of the moves Aerial Ace and Fly. Cloaked in a cushion of air and moving at speeds so fast that she was nearly invisible Star quickly tore through the group of shadow Seiza's until, with a sound of air exploding in all directions, she impacted with the real Seiza sending him reeling backwards, breathing heavily and struggling with everything he had to stay airborne.

So much for that idea, Valor thought. Now what? How do I fight a pokémon who can so easily combine her moves like that? I didn't even know it was possible to do that! Better just go for broke then.

With that thought fixed in his mind, Valor called out, "Seiza, Brave Bird!"

"Star, use Aerial Ace!"

With a final surge of determined energy, Seiza rushed forward cloaked in Brave Bird's user damaging flames while Star moved toward him on an intercept course moving with the speed that was Aerial Ace's gift. Valor could only watch in horror as, in the final instant before the two collided, Seiza's energy gave out and the blue energy vanished due to sheer exhaustion, leaving him totally unprotected and allowing Star to hit him at full force, knocking him out and out of the air.

Both of them returned their pokémon to their respective Pokeballs, and Galen said, "That was well done Valor. Against anyone else you would have won that round. And, for the record, if Seiza hadn't lost control in that final moment, it may have ended in a draw. Now, select your next pokémon."

With some reluctance Valor complied, pulling Akatsuki's Pokéball from his belt and releasing the moth pokémon onto the battlefield. Galen responded in kind by pulling a Pokéball from under his jacket, then releasing his own Volcarona accompanied by a shout of "Sol, you're on!"

Valor felt a small surge of hope at the fact that at the very least Sol didn't look any stronger than Akatsuki, but he also knew that looks didn't mean anything. "Akatsuki, Hurricane!"

"Sol use Silver Wind!"

Akatsuki quickly whipped up a fearsome wind, creating a tornado of snow as Sol began to flap her wings, sending forth a gust of wind sprinkled with sparkling silvery scales. The two attacks collided, buffeting everyone in the area with a wind that threatened to tear the shingles from the roof tops and caused damage to both pokémon. All fell quiet for the briefest of moments as a mixture of snow and wing scales fell to the ground, creating a view not unlike the inside of a snow globe.

Then came a shout of "Heat Wave!"

In response to his trainer's command Akatsuki let loose a massive wave of blistering heat laced with shimmering embers, melting all the snow within ten feet of the wave. In response to this new assault Galen called out "Fly!"

Sol quickly shot above the wave of fiery air, barely avoiding the attack. She then became surrounded by a cushion of air and dove straight for Akatsuki, colliding with him an instant later with another explosive blast of wind being sent in every direction, knocking Akatsuki to the now snow free ground, completely unconscious.

Feeling less confident by the battle, Valor recalled Akatsuki even as Galen did the same with Sol. Deciding to go with what had clearly already thrown Galen off once, Valor next threw Umi out onto the field. Galen then threw out his own Milotic, calling out "Go, Shimmer!" as he did so.

Both serpents looked like they were quite clearly out of their element, fighting on the land as opposed to in the water. Wanting to waste no time Valor called out "Hydro Pump!"

Umi hesitated for a moment, looking back at him with an expression that seemed to ask "Are you serious?"

Taking advantage of that hesitation Galen called out "Shimmer, use Ice Beam!"

Turning in time to see the pale blue beam of energy coming for her, Umi moved out of the way and retaliated with Blizzard, recoating the field in snow and causing Shimmer to flinch as she took damage from the snow laced storm.

Valor however was not pleased with that. "Hey! I said Hydro Pump, not Blizzard! What are you doing?"

Umi looked back at him again, then looked to Tamashī and let out a quick burst of pokéspeak. Tamashī showed immediate irritation at what ever it was the Water-type had said. "Valor, she says she has no good reason to listen to you because you haven't proven yourself to her."

Valor stared at the Water-type in disbelief. "What?! That's ridiculous! I save you from Lawrence and this is how you say thank you?!"

Umi flinched in surprise at the outburst. She hadn't actually considered that. Come to think of it…she actually felt kind of ashamed that she had been so ungrateful. And she didn't want to do anything that would upset Tamashī either. She let out an apologetic sound, hanging her head in response.

Valor let out a sigh. "It's fine. Let's just focus on the battle, okay?"

"Good, are you two done now? Because I would like to continue."

They both looked to Galen, who was waiting with a less than patient expression on his face. Valor smirked. "Sorry, are we inconveniencing you? Well then, let's fix that, shall we? Umi, use Water Pulse!"

Umi reared back in response, then jerked her head forward to fire a compressed sphere of water straight for Shimmer. Galen smiled. "Now that's more like it. Hyper Beam!"

Shimmer too reared up and jerked her head forward to fire a massive, bright and intense blast of pure energy directly at Umi. The Hyper Beam smashed through Umi's Water Pulse to disintegrate the sphere of water an instant before it slammed into Umi herself, sending the serpentine pokémon flying back. When the smoke from the attack cleared, both pokémon were breathing heavily, but for different reasons. For Shimmer it was exhaustion from using such a powerful attack, whereas Umi was struggling to stay conscious from the damage she had taken.

However, Valor wasn't nearly as worried as he should have been. Instead he called out, "Use Aqua Ring!"

Taking advantage of Shimmer's temporary inability to move, Umi surrounded herself with several rings of water, healing some of the damage she had taken from Shimmer's Hyper Beam. Shimmer herself was now back up to fighting strength, clearly ready for the battle to continue. Galen smirked. "I don't think that Aqua Ring will help you much kid. Shimmer, let's finish this up with another Hyper Beam!"

"Use Hydro Pump!"

At the same instant that Shimmer shot off another vibrant blast of energy Umi responded by firing a torrential blast of water straight at her. The two blasts collided in the center of the field, pushing each other back and forth as the two pokémon tried to over power each other. Valor bit his lip in concern. Even if their strength was matched, how could a pillar of water hope to overcome pure energy?

It was that thought that caused him-and everyone else-to gasp in shock when Shimmer's power gave out and the blast of energy vanished, allowing Umi's Hydro Pump to strike Shimmer with its full force. The moment the attack hit it was clear that the battle was over, as Shimmer collapsed to the ground, and once she became fully visible again it was obvious that she was completely unconscious. Galen let out a long whistle at the sight. "Damn. I honestly didn't see that coming. Well done kid."

Without any hesitation, Galen in a single movement returned Shimmer to her Pokéball, then pulled out another and released the pokémon with in saying, "Let's go, Verity!"

Valor blinked in surprise as the unconscious Milotic was almost instantly switched for a rather large female Aggron. Coming to his senses he quickly called Umi back, then released Kinzoku onto the battlefield. All was quiet for the briefest of moments as the two Steel-types sized each other up. Then Galen called out, "Outrage!"

Verity became surrounded by purplish blue draconic flames fringed with orange before charging forward across the battle field. Deciding to match Galen move for move Valor ordered Kinzoku to do the same, and she instantly rushed forward, surrounded by a very similar nimbus of draconic flames. The two Aggrons collided in the center with a sound of metal smashing into and scraping against metal, not unlike the sound of a car crash. The horns on their heads became locked together as the two struggled to gain dominance over the other, pushing back and forth, trying at all costs to gain ground on their opponent so as to deal damage as the draconic flames whipped and flickered around them both.

They continued their back and forth struggle for several minutes, neither able to gain more than an inch or two in either direction. Finally they were forced to separate, backing away from each other as once it became apparent that they were evenly matched.

With a both a win under his belt and with the fact that the two Aggrons appeared to be equal in strength, Valor felt a new surge of confidence. "Alright Kin, use Double Edge!"

Galen shook his head as Kinzoku rushed Verity. "Don't get cocky kid. Verity, Earthquake!"

Kinzoku was immediately thrown off balance as the ground began to shake, causing her to stumble and fall so she was on all fours. The earth continued to shudder beneath her until finally her whole body was shaking and she collapsed onto the ground, unable to move. When the shaking finally stopped, Kinzoku struggled for a moment to get back up, then collapsed back onto the ground, knocked out stone cold.

"So kid, what was the lesson there?"

Valor sighed. "Don't get cocky and don't underestimate your opponent."

"Exactly." Galen then returned Verity to her Pokéball and plucked another one from the inside of his jacket and released his next pokémon with a call of "You're on, Shocker!"

Next to appear on the field was Galen's Eelectross, and Valor responded by returning the now unconscious Kinzoku to her own Pokéball, then sending Inazuma out onto the field. Neither of them wanting to waste time, they both called out, in a strange sort of unison, "Wild Charge!"

Shocker and Inazuma both shot straight at each other, their respective bodies crackling with surges of electrical energy. They collided a moment later, damaging each other and themselves with Wild Charge's recoil, and causing both of them to go flying back from the point of impact. Both eel pokémon had clearly taken a large amount of damage, and appeared to be evenly matched. But this time Valor resisted letting that go to his head. "Use Zap Cannon!"

At his command, Inazuma built up the electricity in his body, then fired of a single blast of pure electrical energy at Shocker. The energy raced across the battle field but it wasn't fast enough, and Shocker easily evaded the blast dodging to the left and causing the blast to harmlessly smash into the snow a few meters behind him.

"Shocker, use Giga Impact!"

Valor tensed up. Giga Impact was an incredibly powerful move, and had on occasion been called the Hyper Beam of physical attacks. But he wasn't about to let that stop them. In the very instant that Shocker began to race across the battle field toward Inazuma, Valor called out, "Wild Charge!"

Once again Inazuma became surrounded by a field of electricity and like Shocker raced toward the center of the battlefield for a kamikaze like attack with the intention of taking them both out in one shot. When the two collided the released energy was almost tangible and threw up a cloud of smoke and snow that completely obscured them form view.

When the debris settled it revealed two very unconscious Eelectross for all to see. Valor and Galen both wordlessly returned their respective pokémon to their respective Pokéballs. Then, Valor gave Tamashī a nod, and she stepped out onto the battlefield. Turning to Galen he said, "Well, looks like this is it. The final battle. Tamashī versus Riley. Should be interesting."

Galen was silent for a moment, then began to chuckle, drawing looks of confusion from everyone. Tilting her head to one side, and with her eyes slightly narrowed, Tamashī dared to ask, "What's so funny?"

There was another few seconds of laughter before Galen answered. "What's so funny, Tamashī, is that your mate has automatically assumed that the Lucario I will be using is your father."

This time it was Valor's turn to ask the question. "Wait…you have more than one Lucario?"

Galen shook his head. "You really don't think before you ask question like that, do you? Do you think Tamashī only has one parent?"

Realization hit both of them like a tonne of bricks the moment he said that. Tamashī then spoke, asking, "Galen, are you saying…what I think you're saying?"

Galen nodded. "I thought it would be interesting to see how you fare, against your mother."

Before either of them could say anything else, Galen pulled his final Pokéball from under his jacket, and they couldn't help but notice that it was a type of Pokéball known as a Love Ball. With a smile Galen called out, "You're on, Kasan!"

Then, in a flash of pink light appeared a female Lucario. A female Lucario, without a chest spike.

Everyone simply stared at the sight before them. It was rather easy to believe that Kasan was Tamashī's mother. They looked almost identical with the exception of the Soothe Bell Tamashī wore and the fact that Kasan seemed about an inch shorter. Then, Kasan spoke, giving the only other obvious difference between them. Whereas Tamashī's telepathic voice was sweet, and even had an innocent sort of quality to it, Kasan's voice was sort of…sultry. "Well, your father was right. You do look just like me. Kind of odd actually. Like looking in a mirror that can move on its own."

Tamashī nodded slowly. "I agree. Very…odd. Galen, answer a question for me would you? Why am I just now meeting my mother? And why have I never been told how much we look alike?"

Galen shrugged. "It never came up. And I never had her with me at a time that we happened to run into each other. Simple as that."

Tamashī gave him a look of incredulous disbelief. "Are you kidding me? That's why I have a member of my family I'm just now meeting? And not even just a member of family, but the female who laid my egg?"

"First off, yes to all of that. Second, I'd like to finish this battle, so I'd like you to wait on any other questions. You can ask all the questions you want afterward, okay?"

Tamashī hesitated for a moment, then gave in. "Fine. But I'm going to hold you to that. Valor, let's make this quick!"

Kasan scoffed. "Quick? Do you think I'm gonna go easy on you or something? You're father may have taught you to fight, but clearly I need to teach you a lesson of my own. I'm afraid you won't be winning this fight little one."

Tamashī's expression changed to one of irritation. "Little one? Do you think I'm still a Riolu or something? Just for that, I'm gonna beat you even harder you old bitch."

Kasan's expression suddenly matched that of her daughter. "Old? OLD?! That's it, fuck the battle! I'm gonna beat some respect into you the hard way you insolent pup!"

"Bring it on!"

Without a command from either Valor or Galen both of them rushed each other, both with rage burning in their eyes. The attacks came the instant the two of them were within reach of each other, Tamashī dealing an open palmed strike to her mother's chest while Kasan hit Tamashī in the chin with a full force right uppercut.

Both Galen and Valor could do little more than watch as the Lucarios fought. Kasan went flying back several meters, barely managing to land on her feet while Tamashī was knocked onto her back, rolling backward with the motion to get back on her own feet. Tamashī let out a small growl, then quickly charged and fired an Aura Sphere at Kasan.

The emerald sphere of energy raced across the field at high speeds, moving directly for its intended target. Kasan, seeing it coming, bared her teeth for a moment then erected a similarly coloured Aura Shield in front of her, blocking the sphere completely. Letting the shield drop, Kasan fired of an Aura Sphere of her own, sending it blasting toward Tamashī, who managed to dodge it with only inches to spare.

The two of them simply stared at each other for a moment, red eyes locked with red eyes, neither wanting to move lest they instigate another attack. Kasan was finding some difficulty in breathing and Tamashī was dealing with a consistent twinge of pain in her jaw, but both were determined not to show any signs of weakening.

An eerie silence fell as the two tried to plan their next respective attacks. The battlefield between them had been left with all manner of pock marks and craters, not to mention a mixture of snow and icy slush from the earlier battles. And yet they both waited, waited for an opportunity.

That opportunity came for Tamashī when Kasan took a step back and briefly lost her balance slipping on some of the aforementioned slush. It was only an instant, but it was more than enough. In that briefest of seconds, Tamashī rushed across the field in a blue furred blur, her paws charged with emerald Aura. In that single second it took for Kasan to make the attempt to stay balanced, Tamashī made it to where she stood and dealt a swift flurry of punches, completely knocking her mother off balance and into the mess of snow and ice that covered the ground.

That however, did not knock her out of the fight. Now on her back, Kasan snaked out one of her feet, hooking it behind Tamashī's ankle to pull her down to the ground as well. Kasan then pushed herself off the ground and made a lunge to pin her daughter, but Tamashī was prepared for that and used her legs to propel Kasan off of her and over her head, causing her to land with a muffled thud a meter or two away.

Tamashī then rolled herself so she was on all fours, looking to see where Kasan was. To her surprise the other female was already back on her feet, albeit with obviously shaky balance. Tamashī quickly pushed herself off the ground so that she too was back on her feet, then she surged forward, intending to knock her mother down again while she was off balance.

What Tamashī didn't notice though was the slight smile on her mother's lips. Just as Tamashī was about to collide with her, Kasan turned to the side, grabbing Tamashī in a head lock as she passed, pressing Tamashī's head against her thigh. "Still think you can win? Not when you make foolish mistakes like that, little one."

Just that was enough to turn irritation to anger, and Tamashī lashed out, firing a pulse of pure Aura at her mother's left shoulder, causing the older Lucario to yelp in surprise and pain, and forcing her to soften her grip enough for Tamashī to break free. Tamashī then gave her mother a rough shove, causing Kasan to stumble forward.

Not wanting to be caught off guard Kasan quickly pivoted around in time to block a right hook from Tamashī. The two then backed off from each other, back pedalling to get out of striking distance. Then, when they were about ten feet apart, both planted themselves firmly were they stood, and each began charging up an Aura Sphere, each wanting to end the fight with one final blow.

There was no sound for a moment, then in an instant they both fired, and when the two orbs of energy collided they filled the air with an explosive sound as well as creating a large smoke cloud and a rather sizeable shockwave.

When the smoke cleared, both Tamashī and Kasan were lying on their backs on the ground, both clearly having been knocked down by the force of the explosion. To the surprise of everyone present, the two female Lucarios then burst out laughing. After a few moments they both pushed themselves up so they were sitting. Kasan shook her head with a smile. "You may be an insolent little pup, but your father certainly taught you to fight well."

With a matching smile and an air of mock conceit Tamashī said, "But of course! What did you expect? Though, I suppose you didn't do too bad yourself…for an old bitch."

Kasan gave a playful growl in response. "Watch it. I'm not all that much older than you. I'm only eight. Hell, your father is two years older than me!"

"Fair enough. I'll remember to call him an old man the next time I see him!"

Kasan laughed. "Something tells me he won't like that too much. Do me a favour and wait until I'm around to see it okay?"

Tamashī nodded. "Deal."

Kasan then looked back over her shoulder to where Valor was standing, uncertain whether or not it would be safe for anyone to come out onto the battle field with them. "Speaking of older males and mates, I would say you picked a good one. How much older than you is he?"

Tamashī blushed. "Seventeen years. Though, sometimes it feels like I'm the older one. And really when you think about it from a biological standpoint we're both young adults…and we're both liable to live for another…seventy years or so. So really, there may as well not be an age difference."

Kasan stifled a laugh. "Hey, you don't need worry, I'm not condemning your relationship one way or another. Actually, I think he's kind of cute."

Then, much to Tamashī's horror, Kasan turned and waved to Valor, and said, with the equivalent of a telepathic shout, "Oh Valor sweetie! I'm wondering what you opinion would be on the idea of having both me and Tamashī to yourself for a night?"

Valor's face turned bright red at the suggestion and Tamashī looked simply mortified. "What the hell are you doing?! That's my mate you're talking to! Besides, what about father?"

With a saucy wink Kasan said, "I won't tell if you don't…"

"It's out of the question! Not going to happen! What would make you even think of something like that?!"

"She's not actually serious." They both looked up to see Galen walking over to them, shaking his head with an amused sort of smile on his face. "Tamashī, meet your mother, the worlds biggest tease. She'll basically flirt with or hit on any male with a pulse, but she never actually means any of it."

Kasan's ears and tail drooped in disappointment. "Aww, why'd you have to go and ruin my fun? I was enjoying that!"

"Kasan, what have I told you about tormenting people like that?"

Struggling to keep a straight face Kasan said, "That it makes you jealous."

Galen sighed. "Like I said, any male with a pulse."

"Aww, but Galen, you know I don't just think of you as 'any male'."

Walking over to join them Valor said, "You know, suddenly Tamashī's promiscuity seems tame by comparison." He then reached down and helped Tamashī get to her feet.

Standing up as well Kasan said, "Well look who decided to join us. So, interested in my offer?"

Valor shook his head. "Not in the slightest. I would rather just spend my nights with Tamashī."

Tamashī gave him an affectionate nuzzling when he said that, but gave him a shove when he added, "Besides, I can barely handle her some nights. What would I do with two of you?"

Kasan giggled. "That's my girl. Nice to know she takes after me in that area."

Tamashī sighed. "Is it just me or is this conversation becoming more embarrassing by the second?"

Kasan rolled her eyes. "Well what do _you _want to talk about?"

"How's this for a topic? Father once told me that no male would ever accept a female with out a chest spike, so how did you two wind up together? Or did he just lie to me?"

Kasan's entire demeanour changed then, becoming somewhat sombre. "No. He didn't lie to you. Your father is an exceedingly rare exception to that. He saw me for me, not for my…difference. I was lucky. As it seems you are as well when it comes to having a loving, accepting mate."

Tamashī nodded in understanding, then proceeded to nuzzle Valor again. "Yeah. I am lucky."

Kasan favoured her with a sad smile. "Of course, things weren't always like that. There was a time when things were actually reversed. You and I are representative of a dying breed Tamashī. There was a time when ALL females of our species lacked what we lack. It was the only real difference between the genders-other than the obvious. But, over time, something changed. Now those of us who still have that bloodline are seen as the odd ones."

Tamashī and Valor both felt a certain sadness when she said that, but Galen's mind was suddenly racing. "Kasan, how do you know that?"

Kasan blinked in surprise at the question, then said, "Because my mother used to tell me that. She heard it from her mother, and so on back through the generations. I swear it's true."

Galen took in a shaky breath. "Oh…that's not good. I am an idiot. How the hell did I miss that?"

Valor gave him a confused look. "What are you talking about?"

Galen hesitated, then said, "Now's not the time. I need to see if I'm right first. Sorry to break up this little family thing, but we need to go. Kasan, return!"

Everyone watched in surprise as Galen whipped out her Pokéball and returned her too it. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out two blue and white tickets. "Here Valor, these are the tickets for you and Zyle to get on the ship in Canalave. Don't lose them."

Feeling very confused now he took the tickets. "Hold on, where are you going?"

Galen shook his head. "Not the time. I need to look into something." Pointing at Azure he said "Come on you, we have to go!"

Azure blinked in surprise. "Me? Now?"

"Yes, now. And Cynthia, make sure everyone stays safe, okay?"

Cynthia nodded. "Alright. I will."

With Azure now by his side Galen stepped in close to Valor and quietly spoke. "I want you to listen very carefully. There is a dark shroud being drawn over this world. I have an unfortunately good idea who's behind it, but I won't say more than that for now. However, there's a possibility that someone else like Faerin could appear. If that happens, I want you to promise me that you will not fight them."

"Why not?"

"Because, those who control Dark Aura are naturally stronger than us, and by their standards-and I'm sorry you have to hear this Azure-but by their standards Faerin was on the weak side. So I want you to promise me that you won't fight if you run across one of them."

Valor gave a reluctant nod. "Alright."

Galen backed away from him then. "Good. Alright Azure, we need to go."

From his pocket Galen produced a small mirror and shattered it with a small pulse of Aura. After a moment a portal to the Distortion World opened up a few meters away from them. Azure looked at the vortex with disdain. "That thing again? Really? Cause once wasn't enough?"

Galen shook his head. "We need to move quickly, so yes. Everyone, good luck. Hopefully we'll all meet again."

And with that he took off through the portal, Azure reluctantly following behind him. When both were gone the portal snapped shut, leaving silence in its wake. Valor and Tamashī walked over to join the others. When they got there Zyle asked, "Okay, I don't really know him, so, is this normal?"

Valor shook his head. "No. I don't believe it is."

Cynthia then spoke. "It's not normal for him at all. Honestly, anything that worries him like that should worry all of us. Unfortunately, it is normal for him to try to deal with things on his own. He's always been like that for as long as I can remember."

Aitana raised an eyebrow. "You seem to know him very well. Was there…something between you two?"

Cynthia shook her head. "No. We've just known each other for a long time. But right now we have important things to deal with. Zyle, Valor, Tamashī, if you want to get to Canalave in time to be on that ship, then you should leave soon. And Aitana, you, Gardevoir and I need to get going soon as well."

Valor nodded and pushed the ship tickets deep into his pocket. "Yeah. You're probably right."

As they were all in agreement on needing to leave, they all quickly gathered up their respective belongings from inside the house, then after quick farewells they split into their groups, and went their separate ways.

At around midday on the third day after leaving Celestic Town, Valor and Zyle entered Canalave City, Tamashī already safely tucked away in her Pokéball. During his time traveling with Zyle, Valor had found that while he seemed kind of narcissistic and insufferable at times, he wasn't all that bad once you got used to him.

Having made it into the city without arousing suspicion they quickly made their way to Canalave's rather large port. Most of the ships were cargo carriers, but there was one that most clearly wasn't. The ship was as large as any other in the port, but unlike the plain steel grey carriers, this ship was white in colour, and was clearly designed as a cruise liner. In large black lettering near he bow was the name of the ship.

Zyle stared at the ship in disbelief. "Is this…is this the ship we're taking?"

Valor fished the tickets from his pocket and laughed once he saw what he hadn't before. "I would say Galen was understating things when he simply called this a 'cruise liner'."

"What else would you call the St Anne?"

Valor laughed again. "The world's largest, most famous, most expensive…cruise liner."

Zyle shook his head once more. "Just how much money does Galen have exactly?"

"No idea. But I would say a good way to measure would be to get on board and find the rooms we've been given."

"Fair point. Then what are we waiting for?"

Two hours later the St Anne left the port, the vessel's crew unknowingly transporting Zyle, Valor and Tamashī to what would hopefully be a safe haven for the two lovers.


	19. Chapter 15: Oblivia

Checking the number on the key card in his hand to make sure he was indeed putting it into the right door, Valor said, "Yep, this is it."

Using the card he unlocked the door, and entered the room. Zyle, who stood a few feet behind him, let out a long whistle. "Damn. I hope my room is this nice."

Valor shook his head. "With how Galen is with this stuff, you probably don't have to worry about it."

From the looks of the room, Galen may well have gotten the most expensive suite on the ship for Valor and Tamashī to use. The suite appeared to be divided into multiple rooms, as the one they now looked upon not only had the look of a small living room, but there was also a door at the far end that Valor could only presume led to the bedroom. Besides a couch upholstered in a light blue fabric, the room they were in also had a door out to its own private balcony offering a perfect view of the open ocean, and an area divided off to serve the purpose of a kitchen, with its own small refrigerator and microwave oven.

Deciding he had spent enough time staring, Valor quickly closed the door to the suite and pulled Tamashī's Pokéball from his belt, pushing the button to release her from the red and white capsule. Appearing in a flash of light she shuddered, glad to be free of the confinement. "Thank Arceus. I can't STAND that thing. I feel so claustrophobic in there."

Opening her eyes and looking around, she couldn't help but be impressed. "Wow. Does Galen have any subtlety?"

Valor chuckled. "I would say no, but then I'm sure he does when it's absolutely necessary. Besides, it'll be nice to travel in comfort."

Tamashī gave an absentminded nod. "Yeah." She then started taking a more up close look around the room, exploring everything for herself.

Clearing his throat to get Valor's attention, Zyle said, "Well, I'm gonna go check out my room. See you two later."

With that he slipped out the door, quickly closing it behind himself. Valor turned back to look at the room, and was mildly surprised that Tamashī had disappeared from sight. "Tamashī?"

It was quiet for a moment, then came the telepathic response. "Valor, come look at this bedroom! The bed is huge!"

With a weary sigh Valor set his possessions-including his Pokéballs- on a nearby table, then followed her command and walked back to the bedroom. He almost immediately had to stifle a laugh. The bed was indeed large, nearly twice the size of what they were used to. But that wasn't what caught his eye about it. What instead caught his attention was a Tamashī sized bump on the right side of the bed near the headboard, only her tail sticking out from under the covers.

"Call it a weird question, but what are you doing under there?"

The bump squirmed around for a moment, then his mate's head popped out near where her tail was sticking out, causing him to have to stifle yet another laugh at the sight. Tamashī gave him a quizzical look. "What's so funny?"

Valor shook his head, an amused smile on his face. "As the answer so often is when you ask that question, you are. You have no idea how strange this looks right now. So, what are you doing?"

"I'll take strange as a compliment, shall I? And as for what I'm doing…these sheets and blankets are soooo soft! And this bed is really comfy too! I couldn't help myself."

Valor chuckled. "Well then, I'll get out of here and let you enjoy that."

She suddenly sat bolt upright, the covers falling down her back to land behind her. "Get out of here? Why?"

"Well, I haven't had lunch yet, and I'm getting hungry, so I was planning on going to get something to eat."

"What am I supposed to do while you're gone?"

Valor hesitated. "Well, you could keep exploring the room, take a nap, watch the TV. I'm sure you could find a movie or something."

Valor gulped. It was clear by her expression that she wasn't pleased. "Look, I know it sucks, but you have to stay here in the room. You're too recognizable. And if somebody does recognize you it probably won't end well."

Tamashī sighed. She hated to admit it, but she knew he was right. Her ears and tail drooping sadly she said, "Alright then. Go get something to eat."

Valor gently placed a hand on her shoulder and favoured her with a loving smile. "Don't worry, I won't be gone too long. And I'll make sure to bring something back for you."

Seeing how little that did to improve her mood he added, "And if you cheer up right now I'll try to find something chocolate for you…"

She immediately perked up and proceeded to tackle him to the ground happily nuzzling him, bringing the covers down in a pile on both of them along with her. "I love you!"

Laughing and struggling to breath a bit he gasped out, "I love you too, but you're crushing my lungs!"

She immediately got off him, kneeling by his side. "I'm sorry! Are you alright?"

Still laughing lightly he pushed himself up into a sitting position, wiping tears from his eyes. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just glad you're smiling again. You have such a beautiful smile. Have I ever told you that?"

Tamashī shook her head. "I don't think so, no." She then nuzzled him and telepathically whispered, "But it's nice to hear. Now go get something to eat. I'll be waiting here for you when you get back."

Valor nodded, got to his feet, helped her get to her own feet, then gave her a quick kiss before leaving the room. As he closed the door she said, "And don't forget you promised me chocolate!"

Valor shook his head with a smile as he walked along the deck of the St Anne, trying to figure out where he could go to get food. No matter what bad things happened, no matter what was going on in their lives, she always managed to make him laugh eventually.

After wandering around the large ship for what seemed like forever, but in reality was no more than half an hour, Valor found one of the ships dining halls. After spending another half hour or so eating entirely too much food since it was so readily available, he found and boxed up a rather large piece of chocolate cake for Tamashī, then set out to return to their room.

While attempting to find his way back to their room, Valor eventually wound up on the forward deck, offering an excellent view of the ocean before the might cruise liner as it so smoothly cut through the waves. He couldn't help but walk up to the railing to stare out over the ocean. Whenever they travelled by ship he always wound up doing this at some point. There was something he found strangely entrancing about watching the waves like that.

So entranced was he by the movements of the sea, that he turned in shock when he heard Zyle's voice from behind him. "Hey Valor, there you are!"

Valor quickly looked around to make sure no one had heard Zyle, then breathed a sigh of relief. "Are you trying to blow my cover or something?" Valor's expression suddenly changed to one of irritation when he noticed the bottle of alcohol in Zyle's hand. "You're drunk, aren't you?"

Zyle grinned. "A little."

"We've been on the ship for like three hours. How the hell are you already drinking?"

Still grinning he said, "Because…I happened to find the ship's bar."

Valor shook his head. "Unbelievable. Just don't go releasing any sensitive information, okay?"

"Hey, I was a member of InterPol for like…uh…three years? Yeah. Three years. I know how to keep a secret." Zyle then walked over to one of the tables on the deck and sat down. "So I wanted to ask you something, and I wanted to do it without Tamashī around, 'cause I figure you would probably be a little more honest if she's not around."

Valor reluctantly sat down across from him, carefully setting the box with the cake for Tamashī on the table. "What do you want to ask?"

"Well, I've been wondering, why Tamashī? I mean, why did you go for her as opposed to some human girl?"

Valor hesitated for a moment, then said, "Well, to start with, it kinda goes back to when Aitana and I where dating."

"Ah, so that's how you two know each other. Nobody ever explained it to me, but I figured there was some history between you two."

"Yeah, well, we were both fifteen at the time, but I never felt…attracted to her. After that relationship ended, I realized I had never found ANY woman attractive. I…honestly spent almost an entire year convinced I was gay. But, I quickly realized that it wasn't just women. I wasn't attracted to any humans. Then, when Tamashī evolved, for the first time in my life I actually felt attracted to another being. In all truth, that's all it really was at first. I really just wanted to…well…you know. Anyway, as I got to know her, I came to be more than just physically attracted to her. I came to love everything about her, and, well, after several months I decided to tell her how I felt. She felt the same way, and here we are, over a year later, completely in love with each other and with a very…active physical relationship as well."

Zyle nodded. "I understand what you're saying. I don't think I could ever be attracted to a pokémon, but I understand that you are. So then, are you attracted to other pokémon, or is it just Tamashī?"

Valor blushed profusely at the question. "Well…don't ever tell her I said this, but, I've always been curious to know what it would be like to be with a Lopunny. They're kind of famous for being really over sexed, so I've always wondered."

Then, in attempt to steer the conversation away from a place that he didn't want it to go, Valor asked, "So, what about you? I mean, you are, as Aitana clearly pointed out, not attached to any one woman. Is there any reason for that?"

"Hmm…not that I can think of! I just don't like being tied down to one person. It was never really my thing. Don't get me wrong, I understand that there are plenty of people who are perfectly happy spending their whole lives together, but I'm not one of 'em. It's just the way I am."

Valor shook his head. "See, I don't really understand that take on things. I can't even imagine spending my life without Tamashī. Whenever I imagine the future, it's always me and her together. Not only that, but Lucarios mate for life, so I know she and I share those opinions. After all, she wouldn't be with me in the first place if she didn't want us to be together for life."

Zyle shrugged. "Hey, whatever works for you guys. I'm not gonna tell you you're wrong or right. Different things work for different people…or uh…pokémon, as it were."

They both went quiet for a few minutes, the only sounds being those of the waves. Zyle then started giggling. "So uh…here's a question. What's the sex like, you know, with all that fur? And the paws? And the tail…"

His face turning a deep shade of red, Valor held up a hand to stop him. "I really don't want to answer that. Use your imagination or something."

"Aww, come on! I'm not asking for explicit details, just…generalizations."

"Look, I don't feel comfortable talking about my sex life, so just drop it, okay?"

Zyle gave a concessionary sigh. "Fine." With a smirk he then asked, "Then do you mind if I talk about mine?"

Valor rolled his eyes in response. "If I don't want to talk about my sex life, what makes you think I want to hear about someone else's?"

"Curiosity?" Zyle suggested. "Haven't you ever wondered what it's like to be with another human?"

"No, and if I did, I…don't think I want to hear about it from you."

"Suit yourself."

Standing and picking up the box containing the cake for Tamashī, Valor said, "Well, on that note, I'm going to try to find my way back to my room. See you later."

"Fine, see ya later."

And with that, Valor set out to find his way through the ship.

Tamashī sighed out of boredom. For a little while she had found it amusing to watch her mate's Aura as he wandered around the ship, finding his disorientation somewhat entertaining. But eventually she had grown bored of that.

With no real desire to make use of the television in the bedroom, she had wound up standing out on the room's balcony, simply staring out at the ocean. With little else to do until Valor returned, Tamashī closed her eyes, taking in the scent and sounds of the sea.

So unaware of the world around her was she, that she failed to notice that back inside the room one of Valor's Pokéballs twitched slightly, then opened, causing Umi to appear in a flash of light. The Milotic smiled to herself. Her instincts had been spot on. Valor was no where to be seen, and she was essentially alone with Tamashī. As quietly as she could, Umi moved across the room until she was only a foot or two behind Tamashī. "Well, you seem kinda bored."

Tamashī jumped about an inch off the ground in surprise, then turned to face Umi, relief washing over her face. "Oh, it's just you, Umi. What are you doing out?"

"I'm…not really a big fan of Pokéballs. I can stand them, but I felt the need to get out a stretch out a bit."

Tamashī nodded. "I understand. I absolutely _loath _Pokéballs. I don't even like thinking about being in mine. But, what did you mean I look bored?"

"I don't know, that's just how you seemed to me. Was I wrong?" she asked.

Tamashī hesitated for a moment, then shook her head. "No. You're not wrong. I am kind of bored without Valor here. I don't like having to be apart from him like this. It always makes me feel lonely, even when I know it's temporary. But, right now, being apart is kind of a necessary evil, much as I hate to admit it."

Umi gave a sympathetic nod. Then, choosing her words carefully she said, "Well…if you want to alleviate that boredom…I…have something in mind that might work…"

Tamashī's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting? Because I would have to say no if that is the case."

Umi's eyes displaying her disappointment quite clearly, she simply asked, "Why?"

"It was one thing when we were imprisoned and I was…desperate, but Valor and I are together again, and I don't intend to betray his trust."

Umi shook her head. "I think you misunderstand me. I'm not suggesting anything permanent, just a little harmless fun. Surely that wouldn't be a problem. I've seen how you and Valor act with each other. I don't think he would care, would he?"

Tamashī hesitated. She knew Valor probably wouldn't care, or if he did, it would be more along the lines of being upset that he hadn't been able to watch. But she still didn't want to take the risk. "I…wouldn't want him walking in on us though. It would be…embarrassing. And, I wouldn't want him thinking I was doing something behind his back either."

"Well that's no fun." Umi grumbled in response. "What's the worst that could happen?"

Becoming a bit impatient, Tamashī crossed her arms. "Well let's see, Valor could get mad at me and never trust me again, which could and probably would ruin our relationship. Not to mention that I would feel terrible about it. I just don't think it's a good idea, okay?"

Umi was about to respond, but both had their attention drawn by the sound of the door opening. Stepping through the door and closing it behind him, Valor blinked in surprise. "What's going on? Umi, why are you out of your Pokéball?"

"She uh…well I uh…" Tamashī stammered, searching for a way to explain what was going on without it being embarrassing.

Valor raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "What is it? You're acting like you've got something to hide."

Taking a deep breath, Tamashī quietly said, "I…was feeling bored and a little lonely, so she offered to…alleviate that boredom."

Valor smirked. "Is that all? With how you were acting I thought it was something…I don't know, worse."

Tamashī's relief was quite visible when he said that. "So you're not mad?"

Valor shook his head. "Course not. Did you actually do anything? It would appear as though you didn't. Not only that, but I would have only really cared if you had done something, and done it with a male. Why do you think I didn't dwell on what you did with Umi and that Lopunny while you were, well, you know."

She rushed forward and hugged him tightly, nuzzling him as well. "I love you so much!"

Valor laughed and returned her embrace, being careful not to crush the box in his hand in the process. "I love you too."

Taking notice of his odd grip on her, Tamashī realized for the first time that he was in fact holding a small white box. Stepping back, Tamashī looked at it curiously, her tail waving slowly from side to side. "What is that?"

Valor grinned. "What, this?" he asked, gesturing to the box.

Tamashī nodded, her tail waving a little faster.

Valor shrugged. "Well, I did promise I would bring you back something chocolate."

Tamashī's tail started wagging madly, a very happy smile forming on her lips. "What did you bring me?"

"It's not much, just some cake. It was all they had." Suddenly realizing that Umi was still out and still watching them he asked, "Uh, so, do you intend to stay out or would it be alright for you to return to your Pokéball for now?"

Umi hesitated, then, with Tamashī translating for Valor she said, "I guess it's fine. I can go back in my Pokéball."

Valor nodded, then set the box down on a table, and returned the Water-type to her ball. Feeling a little more comfortable with her no longer watching them, Valor turned to say something to his mate, only to smile at the sight of her trying to figure out how to open the box. Shaking his head in amusement, Valor held out a hand and simply said, "Here, let me do that."

Pouting a bit, Tamashī reluctantly handed him the box, not liking that she had to rely on him to do something a simple as opening a box. Any irritation she was feeling though disappeared almost immediately when he got the box open. She excitedly took a step forward, only to be stopped by Valor holding up a hand to her. "I know you probably don't want to, but do you think it would be possible to split this? There is more than enough for both of us."

"Uh…I…"

Seeing her reluctance, Valor decided to take a new angle to his suggestion. "Tell you what. I still have a few chocolate bars in the little box in my bag. How about I split one of those in half, and then we each can have half of the cake as well? Will that work for you?"

Tamashī gave a defeated sigh. "Damn you and your compromises. Fine."

Valor chuckled, as he opened his bag to fish out the little ice box that held the candy. "Well, nice to know you're not selfish."

"What does that mean?!"

Valor gave her a playful smile. "Exactly what it sounds like it means."

"You ass!"

"Careful," he admonished her, "Or you might not get anything."

Tamashī crossed her arms with a 'humph'. However, she found it impossible to maintain that demeanour a moment later when he held out a small plate with half a piece of cake and half a bar of chocolate on it. She couldn't help but smile, and gratefully took the plate.

Half an hour later they sat side by side in their room's bed, crumb covered plates on one of the two night stands. Tamashī sat leaning against Valor's left side with her paw in his hand, and together they had found a half decent movie from Unova to watch together.

Happy with how her day had been so far, Tamashī gave a contented sigh, snuggling up closer to her mate. Valor chuckled. "Sounds like someone is happy."

Tamashī nodded. "I am. It's nice to have a day that feels at least a little normal."

Valor smiled in response, reaching up to give her a light scratching behind her right ear. "I'm glad you're happy sweetheart."

"You know what would make me even happier?" Before he could answer, she rolled her body so that she was on top of him, quickly pinning his wrists by his sides. With a seductive little smile she added, "Go ahead, guess."

Valor started laughing, finding amusement in her behaviour. "Just promise me you won't rip off my clothes this time. I don't have any more back ups."

Tamashī's ears drooped with mock disappointment. "Oh…fine. But that just takes some of the fun out of it."

Making sure to keep his wrists pinned if only for her own entertainment, she leaned forward and kissed him, gently parting his lips with her tongue, snaking the long pink muscle in to explore the familiar tastes and contours of her mate's mouth. He returned the action in kind, curving his own tongue around hers until his was likewise ensconced in her mouth.

Feeling as though it was unfortunately soon to do so, Valor pulled away, but kept his face and hers close together. "Tamashī, could you do me a favour, and let me get my pants off? They're becoming…uncomfortable."

She giggled, then nodded, moving off him and enjoying the sight as he undressed himself. Realizing she hadn't done so yet, she removed her bell and placed it on one of the nightstands, then turned back to see her mate ready to proceed, all seven inches of him fully erect. With a smirk Tamashī said, "Well, it looks like my favourite toy is all ready to go."

With a playful sort of mock hurt Valor asked, "So I'm just a toy now then?"

Struggling to keep a straight face she nodded in response, prompting him to ask with a smirk, "Well then, are you going to play with me, or are you just going to sit there staring?"

"Now, now, don't rush things. Before play, comes foreplay."

Not giving him time to respond, she once again pinned him, this time by his shoulders instead. Getting in close so their faces were only an inch apart, she telepathically whispered, "Now you just stay still, and let me have my fun, 'kay?"

Valor nodded, perfectly content to let her be the one in control of things, as he had long ago accepted that she was the one who was dominant in the bedroom. In a way, he actually found he preferred things like that.

Satisfied that he was in her power, Tamashī slid herself down the bed until her head was level with his waist, then with a smile she delivered a long, slow lick to her mate's manhood, enjoying the shudder of pleasure and slight gasp that it drew from him. Locking her eyes with his, she proceeded to slowly slide his length into her mouth, guiding each inch in with her tongue.

She didn't move at first, just using her tongue, wrapping it around and caressing the throbbing shaft that was now an inch into her throat. Though she would never admit to it, she was rather proud of the fact that she had been able to learn to supress her gag reflex so well.

She then began to slowly draw her head back up, the fur around her lips brushing ever so delicately against his skin, creating a sensation that only she could. Bobbing her head at a generally slow pace she pleasured him, each little bob bringing him ever closer to his peak. Between the heat of her mouth and the feel of her tongue sliding along his member in tandem with each bob of her head, he soon began to feel the all too familiar heat that told him the experience would soon come to an end.

A moment later he couldn't help but arch his back slightly as her efforts had the desired effect, the hot, salty fluids blooming over her taste buds. Swallowing all that he had to give, she pulled away a moment later, breathing heavily. She couldn't help but smile at the contented expression on her mate's face. Now that he's taken care of, she thought, my fun should last a bit longer.

Without giving him more than a moment to recover, she worked her way up the bed until she sat astride his hips, his still erect length brushing against her lower lips, sending a little shudder through her as the sensitive areas came into contact with one another. With a seductive smile in his direction, she pinned his wrists for the second time, saying, "Now it's my turn, my little toy."

He was about to respond, but his words were lost as she lifted herself up, then slammed herself own on his manhood, hilting him in a single motion. She released a shuddering sigh, greatly enjoying the feeling of him being so fully buried in her.

It took Valor a moment to register it, but he noticed that her grip on him had almost immediately loosened considerably. With a mischievous smile he slipped out of her hold and sat straight up, much to her surprise as he wrapped his left arm around her back to grip her left shoulder. Leaning in close he whispered, "Now, it's my turn to take care of you sweetheart."

She could do little more than nod in response, completely caught off guard by his actions. Using what little give the bed gave him to work with, he began thrusting up against her, much to her apparent delight as she started letting out little gasps and moans in response. Determined to make the experience as enjoyable for her as possible, Valor worked his free hand in between them until he was able to begin rubbing her swollen clit, only causing her to increase in volume.

Seeking to silence herself, Tamashī locked her lips with his, desperately trying to hold onto what little rational thought she had left as she was so thoroughly pleasured by her mate. With each passing moment she found that she was being driven more and more by little more than pure instinct, and what may have been the last vestiges of coherent thought vanished from her mind when the repetitive impacts of his tip against the pouting entrance of her womb forced the little muscle to give way, reclosing around him an instant later, trapping him within her.

Breathing heavily, her chest heaving, Tamashī broke off the passion inflamed kiss she had held him in for the past few minutes, and bit into is shoulder, trying to muffle herself as her orgasm finally washed over her accompanied by her telepathically crying out his name in sheer pleasure.

With the coupled sensations of her teeth sinking into his flesh and her inner muscles rhythmically milking him for anything and everything he had left to give, he was pushed into another climax, a torrent of virile cream filling her womb.

Still clutching her tightly, Valor laid back, holding her against his chest. Regaining a bit of presence of mind, Tamashī released her hold on his shoulder, gently licking away the spots of blood that had formed where her canines had punctured his skin. She then laid her head on his chest, snuggling against him. Valor reached up and scratched her behind the ear again, a gentle smile on his lips. Gently whispering he asked, "So, was that enough to make you happy?"

Still finding it a bit difficult to form a coherent thought, she simply made a contented sound and nuzzled his neck affectionately. Valor laughed. "I'll take that as a yes. I love you, Tamashī."

She nuzzled him again, returning the sentiment. Within a few minutes she had drifted off into an afterglow fuelled sleep, Valor following shortly after.

The rest of their time aboard the St Anne passed in a rather similar fashion, the two of them spending the predominate amount of their time together, rather often making use of the room's 'do not disturb' sign along the way. Finally, after a week had passed, the St Anne had arrived on the golden shores of the Oblivia Region.

Early in the afternoon, on the day exactly one week after it had left Canalave city, the St Anne pulled into port in the Oblivia Region. It pulled into a little port town simply called 'Aqua Resort', on an island called Sophian. Aqua Resort was a town with a cheery sort of appearance. It was coloured with many shades of blue, and there were flowers and other greenery in many places among the small, brightly painted houses. In the central square was a small fountain, made of the same stone as all the walkways and streets around it. The smell of the sea was heavy on the air, and it, like the cries of the many bird pokémon flying in the sky above, was carried aloft on a gentle sea breeze.

This was the sight that greeted Valor and Zyle as they descended the gangplank onto the stone pier. Tamashī was naturally in her Pokéball for the time being so as to avoid attracting attention.

It seemed like everywhere they looked there were people, and all of them seemed very happy, as though there weren't a problem in the world. They walked through the little town, taking in every sight. As they walked, Zyle began to develop a rather sizeable grin. "This is my kind of place. Quiet, pretty little town, with even prettier girls. All this place needs is a twenty four hour, fully stocked bar, and I'm sold! I think I just figured out where I want to live! I mean seriously, look at the women!"

Wearing a grin himself, Valor shook his head in response. "You really are a man whore, aren't you?"

Zyle scoffed, a fake hurt expression on his face. "I resent that! I am NOT a man whore! I just don't have any moral issues with spending every night of the week with a different woman by my side…"

"Whatever. I'm just happy not to have seen my face on any posters anywhere."

Zyle chuckled at that. "Well hey, it's not like you're a murderer, you're just a guy who screws pokémon and you happen to be on the run from the law. Nothing too big."

Valor sighed. "Thanks Zyle. You're so supportive. Not to mention being entirely too loud when you say things like that…"

Zyle's grin became sheepish. "Sorry, guess I do get a bit too loud on occasion. But hey, at least we're in a place where you don't have to be quite so…paranoid about who might see you."

"True, but there still seem to be entirely too many people around here."

Zyle nodded, then reached into his pocket and produced a small blue booklet he had obtained at an information kiosk on board the St Anne. Flipping through it he said, "Well, according to this, Aqua resort is mostly a tourism spot. People come, stay for a while for vacations and the like, then leave."

"Does that thing have information on somewhere quieter and more secluded we can go? The fewer people who could recognize me or Tamashī the better."

Zyle continued to flip through the book for a moment, then said, "Well, there are two other islands we can go to where there are towns, and they appear to have few people as well. We can take a boat from here to one of them."

Valor gave an understanding nod. "Alright, so what would be our best option?"

"Well…the smallest population would belong to Cocona Village on Renbow Island."

"Then that's where we're going!" Valor replied with a satisfied smile. "First though, let's find a quiet spot where I can let Tamashī out. She's gotta be going nuts in her Pokéball."

Zyle chuckled as he returned the book to his pocket. "She really doesn't like that thing, does she?"

"Was that not clear? If it weren't for her own safety she wouldn't consent to being in it at all. She's rather…firm on the subject." His expression softening a bit, Valor added, "Of course, I prefer having her by my side anyway, so it's never bothered me."

"Aww, you're so cute! Tell me, does it hurt being her bitch?"

His eye twitching a bit with mild irritation, Valor slowly stated, "I am NOT her bitch."

"Really? Then tell me something. When you two are in bed, which one of you is on top?"

"What does that have to do with anything?!"

"So…her then?"

Reluctant to see where Zyle would go with the information, he hesitated, then gave a short nod in response. Valor couldn't help but feel an increase in irritation as Zyle burst out laughing, and through tears choked out, "Yep, you're her bitch!"

"Just because she prefers to be on top doesn't mean I'm her bitch! And stop laughing!"

Zyle got himself under control wiping a few tears from his eyes. "Okay, fair enough. Her being on top doesn't necessarily mean you're her bitch. But answer this: who's in control in the bedroom? You or her?"

Valor hesitated for a moment, and that was enough for Zyle to start laughing again. "Don't bother answering. I can tell by your expression."

Valor crossed his arms with a 'humph'. "Fine. Whatever. You've made your point. Can we drop the topic now?"

"Oh, alright. I guess I've had my fun." Looking around he added, "There aren't a lot of people around here. Now might not be a bad time to let her out, don't you think?"

"I…yeah." Valor hated to agree with him, but Zyle was right. He pulled the red and white capsule off his belt, pressed the button, and Tamashī appeared before them in a flash of pale blue light.

"NEVER AGAIN!" Valor and Zyle both stifled laughs as she shook herself off as though trying to dry out. "I'm serious Valor! You ever put me in there again, and I will make sure you regret it!"

"Don't worry, that was the last time promise."

"I'm gonna hold you to that." Looking around she said, "Oooh, this place is pretty. Are we going to be staying here?"

It was Zyle who answered. "No. We decided on this quiet little village where there aren't a lot of people."

"Oh. So how do we get there?"

Valor looked at Zyle. "Yeah, how do we get there? You said something about a boat. Where would that be?"

"Uh…hold on." Zyle reached into his pocket and pulled the booklet out once again, and his expression immediately turned sheepish. "It can be found…at one of the port's smaller docks."

Valor sighed. "You mean the port that we walked away from fifteen minutes ago, and are now on the opposite side of town from?"

Zyle gave a curt nod, obviously a bit embarrassed. Tamashī couldn't help but giggle at the sight. "Well, I would suggest we start walking back then."

With a quick turn and a swish of her tail she set off toward the port. "Come on boys, we have places to be!"

Valor shook his head with a chuckle then set off after her. "Well, she has a point."

Zyle stood there for a moment, then quietly sighed and said to no one but himself, "Maybe she's just good at controlling males in general."

He then set off at a pace fast enough to catch up to them.

A quarter of an hour of walking and half an hour traveling by small motor boat, and the trio arrived at Renbow Island. The little motor boat stopped at a small wooden dock built right onto the beach. A nearby sign proclaimed in white, blocky letters that the beach was called 'Lapras Beach'.

Once the three of them had disembarked, Valor turned back to the operator of the little vessel and asked, "Do you know the way to Cocona Village from here?"

The man nodded, then pointed to the north. "Just follow the path a short ways, and you'll arrive in the village."

Valor thanked the man, then turned and walked down to join Zyle and Tamashī at the end of the little pier as the boat pulled away, headed back to Aqua Resort. Arriving by their sides he asked, "So, are we all ready to go?"

Zyle gave a nod, but Tamashī looked down the beach with a sort of longing in her eyes. "Do we have to go right now? I'd…kinda like to explore a little bit."

Valor blinked in surprise. "Oh, uh…alright. We can do that. Sounds like it could be fun. New place, things we haven't seen before. That alright with you Zyle?"

"Not really. I'd just like to-" Seeing the looks on their faces he gave a defeated sigh. "Fine."

So, taking Tamashī's suggestion they set off down the beach with no particular destination in mind. It didn't take long for them to wind up running out of beach, so they followed a path north and quickly found themselves walking down a forest road, with tropical and subtropical greenery of all kinds lining the simple dirt pathways.

When they came to a small red and white striped bridge, Tamashī suddenly stopped, lifting her nose into the air. "Valor, do you smell that?"

He furrowed his brow in confusion. "Smell what?"

"I don't know. It smells like…Sinnoh." Without another word she took off running into the forest, quickly weaving her way through the trees.

Zyle watched her in confusion. "Where the hell is she going?"

Valor shook his head with an amused smile. "I don't know, but I'm going after her."

Good to his word, Valor then took off after Tamashī, disappearing into the forest as well.

"Hey! Hold on don't leave me…here…and he's gone." Zyle sighed. "Dammit. Well, I'm not gonna stand here waiting for 'em like an idiot."

Desperately wishing he hadn't come along on for their little 'exploration', Zyle set off into the forest after them.

Zyle quickly caught up to Valor, but Tamashī was still out of sight. After a few minutes they reached the edge of the forest, where Tamashī was standing, her tail slowly waving back and forth. Her ears swivelling a bit at the sound of their approach, she turned to face them. With a smile she said, "These are what I was smelling! Come look!"

Joining her at the edge of the forest, they saw what had caught her attention. Before them was a large field of pink flowers, all being brushed by a slight breeze, giving them the appearance of some sort of pink water. Finding himself inexplicably speaking with almost reverent quietness, Valor said, "Those are…Gracedia Flowers. That's why you said it smelled like Sinnoh."

Tamashī nodded, but Zyle looked on the sight with confusion, and something that looked almost like sadness. "Hold on, I thought Gracedias only grew wild _in_ the Sinnoh Region."

Speaking with little more than a telepathic whisper, Tamashī said, "So did I, but apparently they grow here as well."

Valor smiled. He had grown up rather familiar with Gracedia flowers. They were a fairly common sight in Sinnoh. Somehow, seeing them here gave him hope, as though home had found a way to them since they couldn't go home. "Makes me wonder if there are any Shaymin around."

Tamashī shook her head. "I checked. I couldn't sense any near by."

"Oh well. It's still a nice reminder of home." Valor then stepped closer to Tamashī and took her paw in his hand, and she leaned against his side in response, briefly nuzzling his shoulder.

A few moments passed in silence, then Zyle turned and started walking back in the direction they had come from. Valor and Tamashī watched him walking away with confusion. Speaking loud enough to be sure that Zyle would hear him, Valor asked, "Where are you going?"

Zyle stopped walking and looked back over his shoulder. "Well, how long did you intend to stand here looking at flowers? It seems kinda pointless to me."

Valor looked at the other man in confusion. "Is something wrong? You seem…I don't know, upset."

"I'm fine. I just don't see a point to this." Without another word Zyle walked away, leaving two very confused expressions in his wake.

Valor hesitated for a moment, then said, "Come on Tamashī. Let's go."

Her ears dropped slightly with disappointment when he said that. "Do we have to go now? I wanted to stay here for a little while."

Valor sighed, then favoured her with a gentle smile. "Well, we're gonna be here on this island for a while, so, it's not like we can't come back here another day."

With some reluctance Tamashī nodded in agreement. "Alright, but I want you to promise me that we'll come back here."

"I promise." He the kissed her briefly, then the two of them followed after the path Zyle had taken, walking faster than normal so as to catch up with him.

"So what do you think is up with Zyle?"

Valor shook his head in response. "Don't know. But it seemed like the Gracedias set him off in some way. But, let's not talk about it, okay? It's his business, if he wants to talk it's up to him."

"Sure, I understand."

The rest of their walk went by in silence until they exited the forest. Zyle was waiting for them, standing near the little red and white striped bridge. Seeing their approach he asked, "So, are we ready to head to Cocona Village now?"

Valor nodded. "I think so. Tamashī?"

"Yeah, sure."

The three of them then set off back toward Lapras Beach. As they walked, a thought occurred to Valor. "Hey Zyle, that little booklet of yours, does it say anything about any kind of…I don't know, accommodations in this village? You said it was small, so I can't help but wonder."

Zyle pulled the booklet from his pocket and quickly flipped to the pages on Cocona Village. "Let's see…small is an understatement. There are fewer than two hundred people living in there. But, on the bright side, they do have a small inn, so we should be able to find a room or two."

With a smirk Tamashī said, "You had better hope we can get two. I don't think you want to share a room with us."

Zyle cleared his throat nervously. "No, probably not. So, two rooms then."

Both Valor and Tamashī started laughing, and despite being the victim of Tamashī's joke, Zyle found himself joining them after a moment. By the time they reached the beach the sun was already hanging low in the sky, casting an orange light across the waves. Because they had an unobstructed view for the most part, they were only halfway down the beach when the little dock they had first arrived on the island at came into view.

When they reached the dock they turned north and began walking down the path to Cocona Village. They didn't make it far though, as Tamashī almost immediately stopped cold. Her eyes were closed, her ears were flat against her head, her tail resembled a bottle brush, and she was shaking slightly with what seemed to be fear.

Very concerned by her sudden change in demeanour, Valor asked, "Tamashī? What's wrong? Are you alright?"

She slowly opened her eyes, then gulped. "Valor…l-look at Cocona Village."

His brow furrowed in confusion, Valor closed his eyes, and stretched out his senses so he could see the village and the Auras of all the people within. One of them stood out, immediately catching his eye. His eyes snapped open. "Oh…shit."

Zyle looked back and forth between the two of them. "What? What's going on?"

Valor hesitated for a moment, then, his voice coming out a bit shaky, he began to explain. "When…we were in Lily Cove…we had a run in with a guy who had been corrupted by dark Aura. His name was Faerin. Azure was his Lucario. Faerin wasn't evil, but the dark power had distorted his mind. He wound up taking his own life in an attempt to stop the spread of the darkness that had corrupted him. Right before Galen ran out on us in Celestic, he warned us that there could be others like Faerin who use dark Aura. And…if what we're sensing is accurate…then…" He trailed off, not wanting to complete the thought.

Zyle shook his head, not understanding. "Then…what?"

It was Tamashī who answered. "Then someone capable of using dark Aura is in Cocona right now, and he appears to be…assailing the village." Then, turning to Valor she said, "We need to get out of here. Now."

"No."

Tamashī stared at him in shock. "What do you mean no?! This is dangerous! We need to get out of here! Besides, you promised Galen that you would stay away from these people if we encountered any of them!"

Valor nodded. "That I did. But…there are people who are in danger right now. We can't just run. We're the only ones who can help."

Zyle scoffed. "You can't be serious? Do you have a death wish? Based on what you've told me, people like this aren't exactly friendly or sane. I'd like to go on living, if you don't mind."

"Fine then! Stay here and don't do anything useful! But I'm not about to let some psychopath terrorize innocent people!" Turning to Tamashī he said, "Honestly, I'd rather not have you come along. I don't want you in danger."

She crossed her arms and gave her mate a hard look. "Now you know me too well to honestly expect me to stay here."

Valor sighed. "Yeah. Just thought I would give it a shot. Alright then, let's go. Zyle, are you coming or not?"

He hesitated, then shook his head. "No. I'm not getting involved with this. It's just…too much."

"Fine. Tamashī, come on." He then took off running toward the village. Tamashī shot a disappointed look in Zyle's direction, then took off after Valor, her greater speed allowing her to easily catch up with him.

"WHERE IS HE?! I WON'T ASK AGAIN!"

"I told you I don't know who you're talking about!"

In the central area of Cocona Village many of the village's inhabitants were shaking in fear. One man in particular couldn't help but be frightened, as he was being pinned against one of the houses in the village, held up by a hand tightly gripping his neck. Staring back at him was the face of a man with sunken eyes and sandy brown hair. His tall, well muscled body seemed to be surrounded by a nimbus of black flames, only adding to the fear the pinned man felt.

The man with the black Aura bared his teeth. "I don't believe you. But if you won't tell me, then perhaps someone else will."

He roughly dropped the man to the ground and turned to look out over the many frightened faces looking at him. "SOMEONE MUST KNOW! I'M LOOKING FOR AN OLD MAN IN HIS LATE SIXTIES! HE CAN MANIPULATE ENERGY! SOUND FAMILIAR TO ANYONE?"

When no response came he shot a single bolt of black energy into the sky. "COME ON!"

Stepping away from her family, a woman with shoulder length blonde hair spoke up. "We've already told you! We don't know who you're talking about! Please just leave us in peace!"

The man grinned maliciously and walked toward her. Determined not to back off she held her ground, even when he stood only a foot away from her. "You're brave little girl. I'll give you that. But I don't believe a word of it. I think you know, and even if you don't know who he is, I know he's here in this village. So, either he's gonna show himself, or I'm gonna start breaking necks."

He then lurched forward and grabbed her by the throat. "Starting with yours. SO, DOES THE OLD MAN WANT TO SHOW HIMSELF, OR DOES THIS PRETTY GIRL HAVE TO DIE?"

The woman began shaking in fear, now regretting her attempt at showing courage. After a moment or two-which to her felt like an eternity-the man turned back to her and grinned again. "I guess I'll have to make an example of you, little girl."

Her eyes went wide as he began to tighten his grip around her neck. She was already finding it nearly impossible to breath, and there was no doubt in her mind that this was how her life was going to end.

"Let her go. RIGHT now."

The eyes of everyone present were drawn to the southern entrance to the village, where, several meters away from where the man with black Aura was, a young man with pitch black hair stood beside a Lucario without a chest spike.

Desperately wishing they had gotten there just a few minutes sooner, Valor couldn't help but feel the situation was made all the more dangerous by the presence of innocent bystanders. "I said, let her go."

Beside him Tamashī let out a growl in an attempt to intimidate the man with the black Aura, who was quite clearly larger than both of them.

The man grinned. "What's this now? You…you have a very strong Aura. And…you travel with a Lucario. You…you must be a Guardian. Am I right?"

Valor nodded. Then, trying to sound braver than he felt, he said, "Yes. I am. And if you don't let her go right now, then you will regret it."

"Very well then." The man dropped the woman to the ground where she immediately began gulping in air, a hand on her neck.

Looking around, Valor said loud enough to be heard by all present, "Get out of here. All of you. Now!"

Everyone hesitated, but as they looked upon the expression on Valor's face, they all quickly retreated into their homes, the blonde woman being supported by two others as they made their way indoors.

The man with the black Aura then spoke with a smirk. "What's wrong Guardian? Don't you want an audience present for your execution?"

"I-we-have faced your kind before. We're not frightened by some sadistic thug like you."

Tamashī nodded in agreement. "Besides, it's two against one. You're at a disadvantage."

The man narrowed his eyes, looking at Tamashī as though he had only just noticed her. Then, as he looked back and forth between them a wide grin split his face. "You. The two of you…you're the ones my master wishes to eliminate."

Valor took a step back. "What?! What the hell are you talking about?"

"Forgive me. Allow me to explain. My master is aware of the fact that you are the ones who defeated Faerin. He believes you are a danger to his plans, and wants you…out of the way. I came here looking for some old Guardian to bring back to my master, but imagine how he'll reward me if I bring him back your head instead…"

"What plans? We don't even know who your master is!"

The man nodded. "He has kept himself hidden in the shadows, but he soon intends to reveal himself. And when he does, darkness will consume this world. But he believes you pose a threat. So, I think I will take this opportunity to remove that threat for him."

Before either Valor or Tamashī could respond, the man fired a bolt of pure black energy from each of his hands, one intended for Valor, and the other headed straight for Tamashī. Valor erected a shield in front of him, easily absorbing the attack. Tamashī on the other hand opted to do a dodge roll out of the path of the oncoming attack, coming to a kneeling position a couple feet from where she had been standing just a few seconds before.

It seemed as though they weren't as outmatched as when they had fought Faerin and Azure, but this man was also clearly stronger than Faerin had been. What ever they were up against though, neither was in any way willing to let their guard down for even an instant.

Responding to the man's attack, Valor charged and fired off an emerald Aura sphere and Tamashī fired of several quick bolts of pure Aura at their opponent. With an evil smirk the man created a semi transparent shield of black energy in front of him, blocking the attacks. Both Valor and Tamashī were now concerned that the fight might be too evenly matched, and that a prolonged fight could have negative repercussions for the village. It didn't help their confidence when the man let out dark chuckle as he allowed the shield to dissipate.

"I do believe I understand how the two of you fight now." Pointing to Valor he said, "You fight defensively, that is until you find the opportunity to strike with a hard hitting and calculated strike." Turning to Tamashī he continued. "You fight aggressively, with little defensive action, relying on your agility to keep you out of harm's way, then attacking with a flurry of strikes to weaken your opponent until you can finish them with a more powerful strike. All in all, you two form a well balanced team. However, I do believe I can say with certainty, that the two of you are no match for me."

Valor tensed up, suddenly feeling very afraid. In the space of a few seconds this man had figured out their fighting style. It occurred then to Valor that the man may have been toying with them when he first attacked simply to see how they would respond. Looking over to Tamashī, he could easily tell she had reached the same conclusion, and was also experiencing a similar rise in fear.

His attention was drawn back to their opponent when he said, "With that in mind, I believe I can easily defeat the two of you, and rather simply at that." The man's Aura suddenly flared to its full strength, the black energy surrounding him like massive, flickering black flames. His power was almost tangible, and with another evil grin he held out a hand, then clenched it. Much to Tamashī's surprise a barrier of black energy formed around her, making it impossible for her to go anywhere. "Now that she is contained and I don't have too worry about her jumping around to avoid my attacks and hitting me when I'm not looking, I can focus on you, Guardian."

Tamashī, feeling a mixture of rage and resolve started trying to blast her way out of the shield, but to no avail. The man laughed at the sight of her struggling. "Now, now little one, calm yourself. You will get your chance to die soon enough, but your human comes first."

Valor clenched his fist in anger. Not only had this man threatened innocent people, but now he was threatening Tamashī, not to mention imprisoning her. It was entirely too much. Pooling as much of his strength as he could, he allowed his Aura to overtake him, surrounding his form in bright green energy. The man grinned wickedly at the sight. "So, you are more powerful than you first appear to be, Guardian. But it will not help you. You will die by my hand."

"Don't count on it." Valor spat out in response. "You've gone too far already. When I fought Faerin, near the end of the fight it became clear he still had some of his humanity left. But that's not the case with you; I can tell. You're a monster, consumed by darkness. I will stop you, both for this village, and for Tamashī."

Tamashī's eyes went wide in surprise. She had never heard Valor sound so sure of himself, or so enraged. For that matter, she had never known him to display so much power. When did he become so…strong? She thought to herself.

Their opponent however, was not so impressed. "That's a pretty speech Guardian, but this can only end one way. Whether you win or not, darkness will survive. Even if I fall, there are others who will continue to carry out my master's plan. One way or another, this does not end with you and I. It will however, be the end of you. Goodbye, Guardian."

Valor felt an eerie sense of déjà vu as the man raised a single arm, pointing it at Valor. It began to crackle with black electricity, electricity that was exactly the same as that which Faerin had used against him. Valor braced himself and began charging an Aura sphere, pouring as much power into it as he could. The two combatants fired their attacks, and black lightning met the shimmering emerald sphere in the exact middle of the two. The attacks collided, and all was lost in an intense flash of light.

The light faded slowly, and the dust began to settle. Tamashī blinked several times, trying to clear up her vision enough to see what had happened, concerned as she was for Valor's safety. The dark field of energy surrounding her only made it more difficult to see, but she felt relief wash over her as the two combatants came into view. Valor was still standing. Her relief quickly changed back to concern, as the man with black Aura was also still standing.

From where Valor was standing, things appeared even worse. After their attacks had collided, it had quickly become clear which attack was stronger. The lightning had been slowed by his Aura sphere, but not stopped. With only seconds to react, he had quickly put up shield in front of him, and had poured as much of his power as he could into it. He had managed to block the weakened electrical energy, but just barely.

Valor dropped the shield, but didn't drop his guard, bracing himself for the inevitable next attack. To both his surprise and annoyance, his opponent began laughing. Even then though, Valor stayed on guard, determined not to be tricked into a false sense of security. "What's so funny?"

Reigning in his mirth the man replied. "Not…funny exactly, merely…entertaining. I don't believe I've ever had such fun. I was going to be merciful and kill you quickly, but now I think I will make my fun last a bit longer."

Before Valor had the chance to ask what he meant by that, he held a palm skyward, and clenched his fist as he had when creating the barrier around Tamashī. Much to Valor's dismay, a pitch black dome of Aura energy formed over the central area of Cocona Village, bringing an unnatural night upon the little town. Valor felt his heart sink. How could this man have so much power at his disposal? Galen had said those who used dark Aura were powerful, but this was ridiculous. The only comfort Valor found in this turn of events was that they were now cut off from the surrounding buildings, so there wouldn't be any collateral damage or danger to innocent people.

But that hardly brought any comfort to the near pitch black environment he now found himself in. From out of the darkness came more laughter. "What do you think, Guardian? Impressive, is it not? I wonder, how will you fare when fighting in the darkness? After all, the shadows are rarely kind to those who dwell in the light…"

Knowing he probably didn't have long to prepare himself, Valor closed his eyes and focused, using the only form of vision he had at his disposal. The energy field surrounding them, as well as his opponent, appeared black in colour. The ground beneath them was very light grey, almost white. There was also a large wooden platform in the exact center of the village that appeared grey as well, only very dark grey. Tamashī's Aura was also visible, but just barely through the barrier that still surrounded her alone.

But his attention wasn't focused on her. It was focused on trying to separate the outline of his opponent from the black background. It was definitely difficult to discern his location, but the stark contrast between the barrier and the ground made it easier to at least find his opponent, even if he couldn't see all of him. Having found the man, Valor charged and fired off an Aura sphere, the emerald orb appearing as a splash of fast moving colour on an almost entirely black and white canvas.

"You'll have to do better than that Guardian."

Valor could only feel disappointment and anxiety as he saw the green orb splash against another black barrier, not coming any where near his adversary. He could find his opponent, but he couldn't damage him. Trying to stall so he could come up with some sort of plan, Valor asked, "Who is you master? What is his plan?"

A chuckle came from the darkness in response. "I told you already, my master will reveal himself when the time is right. As for his plan, I don't know the full details, as I am merely a single piece of his plan. I can tell you no more than that, I was simply sent here to find some old Guardian."

"Why?"

"I don not know that either. My master said find him, so here I am, searching for some old Guardian. And here we are because of that, me trying to do my job, and you sticking your nose in where it doesn't belong. But then, you guardians do tend to be the heroic type, don't you? But, that no longer bears any importance. My eyes have fully adjusted to the shadows. I can see as clearly as I could at the brightest part of the day. And I can see…that you are afraid, and that you are stalling for time."

Valor tensed up. He was out of time. With his vision being limited to what Aura he could 'see', he was clearly at yet another disadvantage in this fight. He saw his opponent change his stance, and from that Valor could guess what was coming. Without any time to think of any better solution, he quickly put up an Aura Shield in front of him, channelling as much power into it as he possibly could.

The attack came only seconds later, yet another pulse of pitch black lightning smashing violently into the green shield. The attack was stopped, but caused the shield to shatter, and the resulting shockwave knocked Valor off his feet and to the ground. Quickly getting up he could feel several sharp pains on his arms, coming to the conclusion that his fall had resulted in several scrapes. It was clearly nothing serious, but it was still irritating.

Valor was already becoming exhausted just from defending himself, and his every breath already felt difficult. He had to come up with something, some way to gain an advantage, and he had to do it quickly, or it would be the end for him and, more importantly as far as he was concerned, it would mean the end for Tamashī.

Taking a tentative step forward, Valor cursed silently as he felt a sharp pain in his left ankle. Must have landed on it, he thought. Now he had to deal with yet another disadvantage.

Yet again laughter came from the darkness, this time with a clear mocking tone behind it. "What's wrong? Weakening already? What happened to all that bravado? Or was it really nothing more than words?

Taking a deep breath, Valor took another step forward, trying to ignore the flash of pain that came with it.

"You know, I really thought you would provide more challenge, but I suppose I was wrong."

But Valor wasn't listening to the man taunting him. His mind was racing, trying to find a way to survive the fight. _I can't die here._

"But it doesn't really matter, this out come was inevitable."

_I have to keep fighting…I can't give up…I don't intend to go out like this!_

"You were always doomed to this fate. The moment you entered the village, you signed your own death sentence."

_There's too much I haven't done. Too much…we haven't done._

"So now here you are Guardian, about to cease your existence, fearing the shadows as you should be. You were always too weak to survive this."

Something about what the man said suddenly hit Valor. He was afraid, but he was also not going to let that stop him. And more importantly, they were indeed in the shadows. Smiling now, Valor called out into the shadows, "Alright then you crazy bastard, you can keep talking all you want, but I don't just intend to survive this, I intend to win."

"Is that so? And how do you intend to do that?"

"Like this." As he had seen Tamashī do on more than one occasion, Valor channelled a large amount of energy into his fists, then, improvising more than anything else, he loosed a massive pulse of Aura lighting the darkness with bright green light for the briefest of moments.

The flash of light lasted for no more than a second or two, but it was enough. The man with black Aura, his eyes having become adjusted to darkness, was suddenly and painfully blinded. That single moment was enough for Valor to push the pain in his ankle from his mind to rush toward his opponent, covering the ground between them as fast as he could. The light was already mostly faded when Valor reached the man, but it didn't matter.

Yet again using how he had seen Tamashī fight, Valor put his weight behind a punch to the man's stomach, curving his strike upward once it made contact, his fist digging under the man's ribs and knocking all the air out of his lungs before following the momentum of the strike to deal an uppercut to the man's chin. Then, using the last of his flagging strength he put every ounce of power he had left into a left hook, striking his adversary square in the jaw, breaking and dislocating it with a sickening crunch, and sending the man reeling to land on the ground, apparently incapacitated.

Their source of power cut off, the large dome of black energy, as well as the barrier around Tamashī quickly dissipated. Valor opened his eyes, wincing slightly at the sunlight. He breathed a sigh of both relief and exhaustion. He then turned around to make sure Tamashī was alright, but almost instantly got an answer to that question as she slammed into him with a thump, tightly wrapping her arms around him. "I was so worried! Are you alright?"

Valor hugged her back. "Yeah. A few scrapes, and my ankle hurts, but otherwise, I'd say I came out of that fight better."

Tamashī breathed a sigh of relief. "Good." She then pulled away from him and proceeded to punch him in the arm. "You idiot. If you hadn't been so dead set on being the hero, you wouldn't be hurt at all and neither of our lives would have been at risk."

Valor frowned. "You know as well as I do that we couldn't just leave these people to defend themselves. There would have definitely been deaths had we not come."

With a smirk and a raised eyebrow she said, "I know, and that's why I only punched you in the arm."

Valor shook his head. "I…don't really think that was called for, but, whatever makes you feel better."

"Well, I think it was called-"

She never finished that thought though, as their attention was drawn by a rage filled growl, and they both suddenly found that they had a hand around their respective throats. The man with black Aura was on his feet, clearly not as unconscious as he had first appeared. "I will admit Guardian, that your little manoeuvre was…unexpected. But I am not longer interested in giving you a chance to fight back. I believe I've learned my lesson. Now you die."

Valor's eyes went wide as both of the man's arms began crackling with black energy. He intends to make sure we can't avoid his attack. This is it. I've failed again. Looking over to his mate, he silently begged her forgiveness, wishing that he had the strength left to save them. Her eyes met his, and in that single instant everything that existed between them passed between them. All of their times together, all of the memories both good and bad.

Then, just as they had resigned themselves to their fate, an explosive sound rang out, and both of them were suddenly dropped, the man's grip broken. Another explosive sound quickly followed, and Valor suddenly recognized the noise. It was the sound of gunshots.

Looking to the southern entrance to the village, Valor and Tamashī saw Zyle standing there, his weapons pointed straight at the man. The man himself was bleeding from matching wounds in each shoulder, doubled over in pain.

Quickly getting to his feet and pulling Tamashī to hers, she and Valor joined Zyle where he stood. More than a bit confused, Valor asked, "What happened? I thought you didn't want to risk your life or get involved."

Zyle nodded. "Well, I know it's a bit of a cliché to jump in and save you at the last moment, but I realized that my life was in danger one way or another. I figured Galen would probably kill me if anything happened to you two, so I decided I may as well try to keep you two alive. And here I am."

Valor smirked. "Nice to know you care."

"Yeah well, you know me, always thinking of-"

Tamashī cleared her throat to get their attention. "Sorry to interrupt, but we still have a large psychotic problem to deal with!"

Zyle smiled. "He shouldn't be much of a threat anymore. Being a member of InterPol taught me a few things, like how to shoot someone so that their arms become useless."

"AND DO YOU THINK THIS LITTLE TRICK WILL STOP ME?"

They all flinched in response as the man screamed at them, Zyle levelling his weapons and both Valor and Tamashī preparing to use their Auras to fight if necessary. They only tensed up more as he began to take laboured, lumbering steps toward them, his face a mask of pure rage.

"I AM DARKNESS INCARNATE! I WILL NOT FALL TO SUCH LOWLY BEINGS!"

With a grimace Zyle called out, "Stop now, or I will shoot again, and this time I will shoot to kill!"

"YOU DARE TO THREATEN ME? I HAVE MORE POWER THAN ANY OF YOU COULD IMAGINE! SUCH WEAKLINGS COULD NEVER DEFEAT-"

The man suddenly stopped cold no more than two meters away from them. His eyes were wide, as though in shock, and he was shaking slightly. "I…have served…loyally. This is…not…fair."

His eyes rolled back in his head, and he collapsed to the ground, his body crumpling under its own weight. They waited for a moment, waiting to see if this was some new trap. When the man didn't move, Zyle holstered one of his pistols and cautiously approached their fallen opponent. Kneeling beside him, Zyle checked the man's pulse, then holstered his other weapon with a shake of his head. "He's dead. His heart has stopped."

Valor stared in shock, trying to make sense of it. Tamashī closed her eyes for only an instant, then opened them again. "He's not just dead, his Aura has returned to a normal colour. Purple, in case anyone cares."

Zyle blinked in confusion. "His Aura? Isn't Aura life energy? How could a dead body have one?"

Valor spoke up, answering him. "It's not quite that simple. Aura is…difficult to explain quickly, but life energy is only one part of it. Even a dead body-"choking back the urge to vomit at the thought, he continued, " Even a dead body will have a residual Aura colour for a short while, and once that fades…once that fades the body will be left with a dull white or grey Aura. Now let's leave the topic alone please. That was far from my favourite lesson when Galen trained me."

Zyle raised an eyebrow with a smirk. "What's wrong Valor, weak stomach?"

Tamashī was about to tell Zyle off for teasing her mate, but she never got the chance, as from behind them came and elderly voice. "Leave the boy alone. He's been through enough already without you making fun of him."

All three turned to face the source of the voice, and were met with the sight of an old man slowly making his way toward them, using a cane to support himself. "And I dare say he's braver than you, considering how he rushed in here to save everyone."

Zyle looked at the approaching man with irritation. "And who are you exactly?"

The man stopped only a few feet away from the trio taking a moment to look over them before answering. "I am Quinn, and I am the doctor for the people of this village."

Zyle raised an eyebrow. "A doctor huh? Well maybe you could tell me how this guy died? There seems to be no obvious cause."

Quinn hesitated for a moment, then in a rather offhand manner said, "I couldn't tell you either. But he is not my concern. I came out here because I figured after all that has happened, one of you might be injured. Specifically you…uh…alright, I'm going to need names from all of you, and quickly if you don't mind. Some of us aren't getting any younger."

With a slightly irritated tone Zyle simply stated, "I'm Zyle, the one with the black hair is Valor, and the Lucario is Tamashī. Any questions old man?"

"Oh? I would watch your tone 'Zyle', I may be old, but I won't stand for disrespect. And also, I would prefer if you allowed people to answer for themselves."

"Crotchety old bastard, aren't you?"

Before they could continue to argue, Tamashī stepped between Quinn and Zyle, a fierce look in her eyes that quickly quelled the tempers of both men. "Now, if the two of you can stop acting like children, Valor's ankle is hurt, and I would like to hope that it is nothing serious, but I'm afraid only a doctor would be able to tell us one way or another."

Quinn looked over to Valor. "Is she right? You're injured?"

Valor nodded. "I uh…got hit by a shockwave during that fight, and I think I landed on my ankle somehow. All I really know is it hurts when I walk."

Quinn heaved a heavy sigh, then pointed to Tamashī. "You. Support his weight and help him keep off that ankle, then follow me. We'll take him back to my home. I keep all of my supplies there."

He then turned and began walking back the way he had approached them from. Doing as he had suggested, Tamashī wrapped one arm around Valor's torso, and he placed one of his arms across her shoulders, allowing him to take weight off his injured ankle as they followed in the old doctor's wake.

Zyle watched them go, feeling a new wave of irritation. Speaking only loud enough to be heard by himself he asked, "And what am I supposed to do? Just sit here waiting for you three to come back? I'm beginning to sense a pattern here…"

Zyle let out a sigh. "Guess I should find some help dealing with you," he commented to the lifeless form beside him.

Not looking forward to what was ahead of him, Zyle stood up and set off to acquire the assistance he required to dispose of the body.

Because of the small size of the village, the trip to Quinn's home had been relatively quick. Once they had arrived, Quinn had directed Tamashī to take their possessions up to one of the spare rooms in the house. When Valor had questioned that, Quinn had simply explained, "I keep those rooms empty for people who need to stay where I can easily get to them. I doubt that ankle will prove life threatening, but you should still do as little walking as possible, so you will stay here for a night or two."

As there had clearly been no room for argument, Valor had reluctantly agreed. When Tamashī had returned down stairs, Quinn handed her a warm, damp cloth and told her to clean up the scrapes on Valor's arms, to which Valor had protested, claiming it was something he could do himself. Once again though, Quinn had left no room for argument, and so Valor was forced to sit while Tamashī worked to make sure the small wounds were clean so as to avoid infection.

Unfortunately for Valor, Tamashī's methods were less than gentle, and more than once he let out a small hiss of pain, much to her chagrin. With the scrapes cleaned up, Quinn gave Tamashī bandages to cover the scrapes, and Valor couldn't help but notice how eager she seemed to help. Once again though, her methods were far from tender, to the point where Valor finally let out a sigh and said, "Can you please be more careful? I don't think that's supposed to hurt so much."

It was almost immediately clear to him that he had made a mistake. Clenching her paw, she roughly threw the little box of bandages into his lap. "Do it yourself then, since you don't seem to need me!" She exclaimed before storming upstairs.

Valor winced as he heard a door slam shut. He started to get up to follow after her, but Quinn pushed him back down onto the chair. "Hold on, I haven't looked at your ankle yet. She can wait."

Knowing he had no choice, Valor reluctantly complied. "Fine. I just don't get what upset her so much."

Quinn chuckled as he knelt beside Valor, placing a hand on his sore ankle. "Young people. As we age, many of us lose our vision, but we gain the ability to see things we couldn't before. Right about now, I would say she feels pretty useless. From what I can tell, she's upset already about the fact that your lives were in danger. Couple that with the fact that she was trapped and couldn't help you in that fight, she probably feels like your injuries were her fault to a certain extent. Then, you basically telling her that she's doing more harm than good by trying to help you, well, she boiled over. Can't blame her honestly."

Valor winced as the old man squeezed the already painful joint. "How could you know all that?"

"Simple: experience. I had a similar situation with the one I loved once."

Valor tensed up. "What are you implying? That she and I are some sort of couple? Because that is-"

Valor stopped cold as Quinn gave him a hard look, and he gave a defeated sigh in response. "Is it that obvious?"

Quinn chuckled again. "Well, for someone who knows what to look for. Again, experience. Your not the first Guardian to become involved with his Lucario, and I doubt you'll be the last."

Valor nodded. "Yeah, a friend of mine once told me something really similar to-"

He stopped cold again. "You…you're the old guardian aren't you? The one that man was looking for?"

Quinn nodded. "That I am. Though I haven't thought of myself as a Guardian in a very long time now. About twenty seven years to be exact. But, my abilities have been useful in helping the people of this village, not that they ever knew I could sense their energies."

Quinn then closed his eyes, and Valor immediately recognised that he was using his ability to 'see' Aura. Tilting his head to one side Valor asked, "So…where is your Lucario?"

Quinn was silent, then stood and walked over to return his supplies to their cabinet. "Your ankle isn't broken, or even sprained. You just over stretched the muscle a bit. Stay off it as much as you can for a day or two, and you should be fine."

"Uh…great, but that doesn't answer my question."

Quinn let out a sad sigh. "As I said, I haven't considered myself a guardian in about twenty seven years. And I dare say the council would feel the same. I-we-were like you and Tamashī. Her name, was Marina. She and I loved each other, and decided to say to hell with what everyone else thought. We mated, and we were together for almost twelve years…but eventually we were discovered. Naturally, the council was against us, per the laws of the Guardians. She was to be executed…and I was to be forced out of the order. Desperate, I made an attempt to save her, and wound up taking a blast straight to my leg in the process, hence needing this damned cane. She died, and I was powerless to prevent it. As soon as I healed I got away as fast as I could, and I eventually settled here, and learned from the doctor who was living here at the time."

"I uh…I'm sorry."

Quinn shook his head. "It's in the past. I still miss her terribly, but there's nothing that can be done for me. So, I'm gonna offer you some advice: enjoy your relationship while you have it. It may be taken away from you when you least expect it."

Valor nodded. "I'll keep that in mind. Uh…so, with that in mind, can I go now? I need to try to apologise to her."

"Go ahead. Go be with you mate."

Valor stood up and had his foot on the first step of the staircase when he stopped. "Before I go…do you know why that man was looking for you?"

"I…have an idea, but you have more important things to deal with right now, don't you?"

Valor nodded with a smile. "Your right. Thanks again."

Without another word Valor made his way up the stairs as quickly as he could, and Quinn shook his head with another chuckle. Speaking only to himself he whispered, "Ah, to be young and in love. I do miss those days…almost as much as I miss you Marina."

Once Valor made it up the stairs he looked around and, spotting the only closed door in sight, quickly made his way down the hallway. Quietly opening the door, he poked his head inside to see Tamashī curled up on a smallish bed. Hearing the door open, she lifted her head up to look at him. Slipping in and closing the door behind him he quietly asked, "Are you alright?"

She nodded, then laid her head back down on the bed. "What about you? How's your ankle?"

"Fine. I just need to take it easy for a day or two."

"That's good."

They both fell silent, neither really knowing what to say or how to continue. After an awkward moment or two, Valor quietly said, "I'm sorry I snapped at you."

She let out a little sigh. "Don't be. I'm the one who should be sorry. I got all pissy over nothing."

"I uh…don't worry about it. I…understand that we've had a stressful day."

"Not just stressful, life threatening. It makes me feel even worse that I wound up being of no help in that fight."

Damn, Valor thought, that old man is good. "You…don't need to worry about that either. It wasn't your fault."

"Still…it seems like you wind up having to do the tough stuff while I wind up on the side lines a lot. It makes me feel…I don't know, like a burden or something."

Gently sitting down beside her, Valor placed a hand on her shoulder. "Tamashī, you are NOT a burden, and I would never think otherwise. It wasn't your fault."

"Well what about the time with Kasai? On the beach?"

"You were in shock, and were unsure of yourself."

"What about what happened with Aitana?" She countered.

"I took the bullet to make sure you wouldn't have to. That was my choice."

"Alright fine. Then what about-"

"Tamashī stop. We could run down a list of every time you think you've been a burden, or haven't been useful, but my answer will never change. You are not a burden. That's all there is to it."

"I-alright. I'll stop." She conceded.

Valor favoured her with a gentle smile. "Good. Now, what do you say we get some sleep? I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted."

As opposed to answering she wasted no time in snuggling her way under the covers. Valor carefully pulled off his shoes, trying not to aggravate his ankle, then took off his shirt and joined her under the covers, wrapping his arms around her.

A quiet moment passed, then she asked, "So…what kind of limits are placed on your physical activity right now?"

Valor snorted in amusement, then replied, "I don't think it would be a good idea."

Tamashī made a disappointed grumbling sound in response. "Fine. I guess you should let yourself heal."

"Nice to know you're so concerned."

With a playful tone to her telepathic voice she said, "Uh huh."

Valor shook his head with a laugh, then nuzzled her gently. "I love you."

Nuzzling him back she quietly replied, "I love you too. But I still wish you were open to having sex right now."

They both laughed then, and fell to sleep a short while later, both exhausted, but both strangely content.


	20. Interlude IV: A Growing Divide

A knock came at the door, and without looking up from what he was working on, Mathias simply said, "Enter."

The door opened slowly, and in came Sarina., entering the well maintained but sparsely furnished room that the Council's 'leader' called home.

Leader of course, was not the right word to describe him, or any who had held the position in the past. As the whole Council served as the leaders of the Guardians, no one of them actually held more power than any other. They all had different purposes on the Council. Tahnokk was in charge of security and making sure the laws of the Guardians were upheld. Angela and Eckhart-the Council member with a deep blue Aura-shared the duty of making sure that any conflict arising within the Guardians were resolved peacefully. Richard and his prideful purple Aura were perfectly suited to maintaining the good reputation of the Council and the Guardians-at least to those of the general population who knew of their existence. Sarina was the history keeper on the Council, her job being to make sure that the history and work of the Guardians were properly documented and preserved.

Then there was Mathias. As stated, 'Leader' is not really the right term for him. A more appropriate term might be 'Moderator', or 'Coordinator'. It was his duty to make sure the jobs of the other Council members were handled and that they were completed smoothly. It is needless to say that it could be a demanding position to hold at times, and recent events had made things harder still on him. It was these very events that had brought Sarina to him.

Taking a quick glance around the room, Sarina saw the familiar layout, consisting of only a bed, a single nightstand, a pair of book cases-each loaded with tomes of all kinds-and the desk that Mathias now sat at, pouring over one of his many books, appearing to take notes as he went along. When he did not immediately respond to her presence, she cleared her throat, hoping to draw him away from what he was doing, even if only for a moment.

He heaved a sigh in response to her not so subtle attempt at garnering his attention. "I see you. You do not need to be so impatient. Especially considering that we have already had this conversation several times."

She crossed her arms, giving him a hard look that he didn't see as he had still failed to look up from what he was doing. "I believe my impatience is perfectly justified. And we will have this conversation again if we must."

"I've told you time and again that we can't change anything without a majority vote by the Council." He stated, still not looking up at her.

"Well then explain to me why a group that requires a majority vote has an even number of members." She countered.

"Tradition. That's how it has always been."

"Again, why? It makes no logical sense! And look at me dammit!"

Becoming irritated, Mathias did as she commanded and looked up at her. "Look, I didn't make the rules, I just try to adhere to them."

"What about the rules that make no sense? Like the one that forces us to commit _cold blooded murder _simply because a Guardian is in a relationship with his or her Lucario?"

Mathias let out a small sigh. "I understand that it is wrong. I don't like it, I would like to change it, but we simply cannot. You, as well as Angela, and myself wish to change it. The others, do not. They are set in their ways, and believe that tradition should be held up no matter what. Thus, we are divided, and I do not believe it is a division that can be mended."

Sarina's eyes narrowed. "Really? Are you sure you're not just scared of going against your older brother?"

Mathias shook his head. "What Tahnokk does is his business. Though I do not agree with him, and wish he were not as he is, I cannot change him. And if you wish to bring familial concerns into this argument, why don't we discuss the fact that Valor is your nephew?"

Sarina tensed up. "What does that have to do with this?"

Mathias raised an eyebrow. "Well, I am concerned that you may be allowing personal emotions to cloud your thinking."

Sarina scoffed unconvincingly. "I-I've never even met Valor. Why would being his Aunt affect me?"

Mathias didn't answer, but simply stared at her, his gaze unwavering. It was quiet for a moment, until finally with a sigh of resignation, Sarina relented. "Fine. I feel bad enough about the separation between my sister and I…but I couldn't live with myself if I allowed something like this to happen to him. I mean…sure, he would survive it…but imagine the emotional toll it would take on him. And I don't even want to think about the pain that poor Tamashī would suffer…"

She trailed off, choking back tears. Mathias stood, walked over to her, and gave her a gentle hug, trying to comfort her. "I understand. I get it, really I do. I don't want to do this any more than you do, but there doesn't seem to be a way around it." Stepping back from her, he continued. "I have been doing some research, trying to find a way, but it doesn't seem as though we can avoid what will happen if Valor and Tamashī are found."

Sarina looked at him in disbelief, her eyes still watering. "You…you've been trying to find a way around it?"

Mathias nodded. "Unfortunately, not only have I not found anything, but it appears as though some of our records are missing."

"WHAT?!" Sarina shouted, suddenly enraged by the very notion that somebody had tampered with the records she worked so hard to maintain.

Mathias held up his hands, trying to calm her down. "I-I could be wrong. I mean, it just seems like some of our older information has some gaps in it. I'm probably wrong."

"You had better hope you're wrong, or someone is going to suffer for it!" She exclaimed with a fierce look in her eyes. She turned away from him and began to make her way out of the room. Just as she was about to leave, she quietly added, "Thank you, for at least trying to help."

She then left, closing the door behind her, and leaving Mathias alone once more. Once he was sure she was gone, he whispered to himself, "Your welcome. After all, we all have reasons to want to change things."

As it always was, the council chamber was in a state of total darkness. Though the council was not in session, the room did have one occupant. If one's eyes were properly adjusted, if would have been possible to see from the outline of said occupant, that it was a man who sat in one of the high backed chairs around the central table.

He sat in silence for several moments, then, a voice emanated from the darkness itself. It was cold, smooth voice that seemed to radiate power. "What is your reason for calling upon me, my disciple?"

Though there was no one else present, the man inclined his head in respect to the disembodied voice. "My apologies, Master. But it would appear as though the one I sent to Oblivia has fallen. His mission was left…incomplete."

A disapproving and irritated growl of sorts came from the shadows. "This is what you disturb me for? I am already aware of the goings on in Oblivia."

The man balked in surprise, but quickly recovered. "How is it you know of this Master?"

The shadows around him were filled with laughter. "Your followers and students may call you Master. They may believe the plans they enact are yours, but never forget which of us is truly in control. I am aware of what happened in Oblivia, because I was the one who disposed of him. I destroyed his mind, so he could not be used against us."

The man's eyes went wide. "But why was that necessary?"

"Because he was already beaten, though he failed to accept it. Young Valor is in Oblivia, and unfortunately, your man was not up to the task of dealing with him. Once he became useless to me, I tapped into his mind and destroyed him by breaking his connection to the shadows. After becoming so dependant on them, his mind could not take the separation."

The man gulped. "I see. So what should be done then? Clearly Valor is…stronger than we had planned for. How are we to deal with the threat he poses to your plans?"

The shadows were silent for several very long seconds, then a response came. "Inform the council that a dark presence was detected in, then disappeared from Oblivia. Recommend that they send a guardian to investigate. Make sure they send one who is loyal to you, and inform him that Valor must be found. With any luck, he will be able to find Valor and his 'mate', and then the threat can be ended by the Guardians themselves."

The man smiled. "Have the Guardians seal their own fate by removing the only ones who could save them. Very clever. What about the problem that Galen presents?"

Again, silence was the response for several seconds. Then an answer came. "If I am right about his role in all of this, you will have to face him one way or another. But…as long as Valor and Tamashī are dealt with before hand, he will be essentially powerless."

The man nodded, and stood from his chair. "Very well then Master. I will carry out what must be done."

The man waited for a response, but when none came, he realised that the conversation was at its end, and he quickly turned to leave, returning to blend in amongst those who dwell in the light as he set the plans in motion.


	21. Chapter 16: Gratitude

Tamashī woke with a toothy yawn, blinking away the bleariness of her eyes. From what she could see through the little bedroom window, it was almost to dawn. She gently slid out of bed, shaking her head with an amused smile as Valor failed to wake. How do you sleep so soundly? She silently asked her sleeping mate.

With a little sigh of contentment, she quietly left the room then, after relieving herself in the near by bathroom, went down stairs, intending to go watch the sunrise outside. When she arrived downstairs, she was surprised to find that several lights were on. Walking into the smallish kitchen she was greeted by the sight of Quinn sitting at a small, square table. The old doctor had a small bowl of food in front of him. His breakfast, apparently.

Quinn blinked in surprise at her appearance. "Oh? Are you two up already?"

Tamashī shook her head. "No, just me. Actually…I thought I was the only one who was up. Sorry if I disturbed you."

Quinn chuckled. "Don't worry about it. I'm always up this early. Actually, I wouldn't mind having someone to talk to for once. My mornings are rather lonely, so feel free to sit for a while."

"Uh…okay." Not wanting to disappoint him, she took the seat opposite him, positioning herself so she wasn't sitting on her tail.

A moment passed in silence, then Quinn asked, "So, did the two of you make up last night? I certainly didn't hear any noises that would indicate you didn't…but I didn't hear any that would tell me you did either."

Tamashī canted her head to one side with a confused smile. "We uh…did 'make up', yes. But…what noises do you think would have come of us doing so?"

Quinn shrugged. "I don't know. Are you the type who makes a lot of noise in the bedroom?"

Tamashī's smile vanished and she blushed profusely beneath her fur. "E-excuse me? What are you implying? That Valor and I are-"

Quinn held up a hand, stopping her. "Don't bother. I don't want to repeat that line of inquiry. Valor and I have already discussed your relationship. And no, he didn't just tell me about it, I recognised what was between you the moment I saw you two."

Tamashī's shoulders slumped. "Seriously? You figured it out that easily? How?"

Quinn raised a grey eyebrow. "What, he didn't tell you?" He asked, gesturing up at the ceiling toward the general area of the room where Valor still slept.

"Tell me what? After we talked about my…outburst, he and I more or less went straight to sleep."

Quinn nodded. "I see. Well then, allow me to explain. First, you should know that I am the 'old Guardian' that man was after."

"Really?"

"Yes. Please don't interrupt me again. Well, I haven't been a Guardian in almost three decades, because I was forced to leave the order. I was forced to leave, because the Guardians discovered the relationship between myself and my Lucario, Marina. I recognised what existed between you and Valor, because I was once in a very similar relationship."

Tamashī simply stared in disbelief, not knowing how to respond. The knowledge that Quinn had once been a Guardian was…odd. But knowing that he had once been in a relationship like the one she had with Valor was…unbelievable. Then, she found herself overcome by a wave of sadness as she realised that if they had been discovered, then 'Marina' as Quinn had called her, was no longer among the living. Not knowing what else to say, she simply replied with, "I'm sorry."

Quinn shook his head, a sad look in his eyes. "Don't be. It wasn't your fault. Besides…if I know Marina, she wouldn't want anyone to mourn over her. Not that I didn't do plenty of that anyway…but still."

"Still…I'm sorry."

"Hmm…well thank you for that. So, are you always up before he is?"

Tamashī nodded. "Almost always anyway. I think he must be a heavy sleeper, 'cause he never wakes up when I slip out of bed."

Quinn chuckled. "I did always marvel at how delicately a one hundred and nineteen pound Steel-Type could move. But then…Marina was an average size Lucario. If I had to guess…I would say you, being considerably taller than average, weigh about…one hundred and fifty, right?"

Tamashī seized up. If she had been human she might have taken offense to that, but then she had always though human women placed entirely too much sensitivity on such topics. "Uh…yeah, just about. How the hell did you figure that out?"

Quinn smiled. "An educated guess. I figured if a 3'11" Lucario weighs about one twenty, assuming a healthy weight, than an approximately…five foot tall Lucario-about 5'6" if we include your ears-would weigh about one fifty. Part of it comes from medical experience, the rest is just conjecture."

Tamashī sat there, dumbfounded. "Wow…that is…impressive."

"And just a little bit freaky."

They both looked over to the kitchen's doorway to see Valor standing there, looking more than a little tired. He entered the kitchen, gave Tamashī a quick kiss on top of her head, and sat heavily in one of the remaining two chairs at the table. Tamashī looked at her mat with concern. "Are you alright? You look exhausted."

Valor's first reply was a rather sizeable yawn. Then he said, "Well…I'm tired as hell, but otherwise I guess I'm okay. My ankle doesn't hurt as much, so I guess that's a good sign. I just-"

He was interrupted by the urge to yawn again, then continued. "I just wish I knew why I'm so damn exhausted."

Quinn scoffed. "Honestly, who was the Guardian who taught you? You're so tired because of how much energy you had to channel through your body yesterday. It wears out your body and leaves you 'tired as hell' when you put your body through that much. Combine that with being tossed around by that bruiser, and you should be feeling exhausted."

Valor blinked slowly a few times, then simply said, "Oh. Okay then."

Tamashī sighed. "Valor, what did he just tell you?"

"Uh…something about…getting tossed around…and uh…" He trailed off, not remembering the rest of it in his tired state of mind.

Quinn stood up, pushing back his chair. "Let me get you some food, and some coffee to help you wake up."

Valor shook his head lethargically. "I…uh…I don't drink…coffee."

"As a doctor I can tell you that, while normally that's a good thing, in this case you should make an exception." Quinn replied.

"I…fine."

With a smirk Tamashī said, "Well…he doesn't really need coffee. I could just get his heart racing a little. Shouldn't be too difficult."

Quinn burst out laughing, and struggled not to lose his grip on the coffee pot as he filled it with water from the tap. Valor on the other hand, simply stared blankly at her. "What?"

Tamashī gave him a slightly disappointed look. "Wow…you really are tired. You don't even know when I'm coming on to you."

Valor smiled weakly. "Oh…is that what you were doing? Sorry sweetheart."

Quinn walked back over to the table and set a bowl in front of Valor. "Coffee will be ready in a few minutes. Until then you should eat. Help you regain your strength."

Valor looked at him in confusion. "But…I don't drink coffee."

Clearing her throat, Tamashī said, "Maybe it would be better if he just got some more sleep. It's still pretty early."

Quinn shrugged. "It's up to you."

"Then it's decided. Valor, when you're done eating, we're going back up to bed." Tamashī stated this in a way that said there was no argument to be had on the subject.

Having enough presence of mind at that exact moment to know that she was both right, and would stubbornly stand firm on the subject, Valor simply nodded in response. After several minutes he finished eating, and the two of them returned upstairs, where they snuggled back in to bed together, Valor falling asleep almost immediately. Tamashī found that sleep did not come so easily though.

She was worried. Worried about what the future may hold for them. She let out an almost inaudible sigh. It had been bad enough that they were wanted criminals. It had been bad enough that the Guardians were also trying hunt them down. But now…the idea that there was yet one more group that wanted to find them, one that they knew little to nothing about…it only served to make her more concerned for their safety. Is she thought about the events of the previous day, and all the implications of what they had experienced, it proved to simply be too much for her, and he eyes became watery, silent tears running down her face and on to the sheets.

A few minutes of silence passed, and a small wet spot had formed on the bed. Tamashī was desperately trying to keep herself quiet, as she didn't want to disturb or worry Valor. She feared for a moment that she had woken him when he shifted slightly, but breathed a sigh of relief when he remained deeply ensconced in the realm of dreams. Her relief suddenly changed to amused surprise when his new position caused something to poke into her thigh.

She then found herself struggling not to burst out laughing. "I guess you must not be nearly as worried as I am." She thought to herself.

Reaching up a paw to wipe the tears from her cheeks she smiled slightly. It was then that she chose to stop worrying about the future, at least for the moment, and try to enjoy the time she could spend with her mate. With her mind at ease, she too soon drifted off to sleep.

It wasn't until almost noon that they woke for the second time. Though he was still certainly not back to his usual self, Valor did feel noticeably less exhausted then he had just several hours before. "Guess I just needed more sleep," He commented with a smile and a stretch as he sat up in bed.

With a gentle smile of her own, Tamashī quietly said, "I'm glad you're feeling better."

Valor looked at her with a troubled expression. "Tamashī…have you…have you been crying?"

Tamashī tensed up and gulped nervously. "W-why would you think that?"

"Well…you have what look like tear tracks in your fur."

"I uh…uh…" Tamashī struggled to find an explanation, but her mind had gone blank. With a defeated sigh she telepathically whispered, "I…was just thinking about everything that's gone on…and I kinda lost control of myself. I didn't want to worry you. Sorry."

He shook his head with a smile. "Don't apologise. Things have been rough on both of us for a while now." His expression then changed, becoming more serious, and he spoke more quietly than before. "Besides, trying not to worry me is a moot point. I already am worried. Especially about you."

As opposed to answering, she simply cuddled up to him, nuzzling him in an effort to comfort them both. He wrapped his arms around her in response, holding her close. A minute passed before he spoke again. "You know what I think? I think we should both stop worrying so much. No good can come of it."

She nodded in agreement. "You're right." She gently pulled out of his embrace and slid out of the bed. "I'll be right back. I'm gonna go deal with these tear tracks you claim I have in my fur. After all, I wouldn't want people to think I was as overly sensitive as some human female."

Valor snorted with laughter as she walked out, flicking her tail back and forth as though to accentuate the fact that she wasn't human. He stretched out again with a yawn, glad that he wasn't quite so tired out anymore.

By the time Tamashī returned-with a now tear mark free face-Valor was already out of bed and fully dressed. With a playful smile he said, "Well, I would say there's no risk of anyone thinking you're 'as overly sensitive as some human female'."

With a satisfied smile of her own she simply said, "Good."

"So, what do you want to do today? I mean…I don't really know what we can do around here…"

She raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you say you needed to take it easy because of your ankle?"

He nodded. "Yeah, but I'm not suggesting we go for a three mile run or anything like that. Just, finding a way to spend the rest of our day."

"Oh…well…uh…I have no ideas."

"Okay then…I guess we'll just have to figure something out." Gesturing toward the door he asked, "Shall we?"

"Oh alright, I suppose." She replied with a playful wink before turning and walking back out of the room.

He shook his head with a laugh, following her out of the room and down the stairs. Just as they reached the front door, Quinn's voice emanated from somewhere within the depths of the house. "And where is it you two are going?"

They both stopped in surprise. They exchanged a quick glance, and Tamashī jerked her head, indicating for Valor to answer. "Uh…we're just going out. We…well…"

"Just be careful. If you come back in here with a limp I'll confine you to that room until you're my age."

"Uh…alright then…I guess we'll be back later."

They both waited for a moment, and when no response came, the two of them stepped through the door and out in to the sun bathed village. Though there were no clouds blocking the bright light of the sun above, a cool ocean breeze was keeping the heat from becoming unbearable.

All around the village people were going about their usual business, whatever that happened to entail. As Valor and Tamashī walked along the simple dirt paths through they couldn't help but notice that occasionally a random villager would give them an odd glance, as though trying to figure them out. This happened a number of times, prompting Tamashī to ask, "Is it just me…or are people giving us weird looks?"

Valor shook his head slightly. "No…it's not just you. Of course…how often do they run into anyone like us?"

"I suppose you're right…but even so...I feel like everyone is looking at me."

Leaning in closer to her he quietly spoke so that no one else could hear. "As beautiful as you are, why should you be worried about people looking at you?"

She giggled in response. "You're sweet, but I'm still not comfortable with people staring at me."

"Fair enough. I would just ignore them if-"

"Hey, there you two are!"

They both turned around at the sound of the voice to see Zyle walking toward them, a grin on his face. "Well, here I was worried about you and you're both up and walking around just fine by the looks of things."

Valor raised an eyebrow. "You? Worried? Why is it I doubt that?"

Zyle shrugged. "Believe what you will, but I was genuinely worried. After all, I tried to see you earlier, but that old man told me not to disturb you, so I thought there might be something seriously wrong with one of you."

Though still not entirely convinced of Zyle's sincerity, Valor simply said, "Well thanks for the concern, but we're both fine. I was just really exhausted this morning, so we went back to bed for a while."

"Oh, so I was worried for nothing."

Tamashī nodded in confirmation of that, a smile on her lips. "So it would seem."

"So, what have you been up to since yesterday?" Valor asked.

Zyle shrugged again. "Not much really. Got a room at that little inn I told you about. Spent most of today either waiting for you, or answering questions about you."

Both Valor and Tamashī looked at him in confusion. "Questions…about us?" Tamashī inquired.

Zyle nodded. "Yeah. Apparently people noticed how you two act toward each other. Something about the way you two interacted after Valor knocked that guy back on his ass. I've had people asking me all day if you two are some kind of couple."

Confusion turned to shocked disbelief. "Y-you…told them no…r-right?" Valor managed to stammer out.

"No…I told them the truth. And frankly I got really tired of explaining it. Good thing this is a small village. Information travels quickly."

Taking a deep breath in an effort to keep from loosing his temper, Valor asked, "And why the HELL did you think that you had any right or reason to tell people that?"

"Well…I mean, you two don't seem to be very good at hiding it in the first place. That, and, people don't seem to be judging you for it. Some of them are…admittedly confused by it, or so it would seem. But no one seems to be condemning you. In fact, as I understand it, they are having a bit of a…celebration tomorrow night as a way of thanking us all for protecting them."

"I…you…that's…" Valor trailed off, not really knowing how to respond.

Tamashī giggled, finding his response-or lack there of as it were-to be rather amusing. "Actually, its kind of relieving when you think about it. Though I agree that Zyle shouldn't have just told people about us, at the same time, it doesn't seem to have had any negative effects."

Valor let out a defeated sigh. "I suppose you're right. Kinda reminds me of Twinleaf actually."

"Hmm…that's just what I was thinking." She punctuated that thought by slipping her paw into his hand, and leaning against him, nuzzling his shoulder. "Which means that we can actually act like ourselves around here."

Valor smiled. "Sounds like it."

Zyle raised an eyebrow. "So…am I forgiven then?"

Valor shrugged. "Yeah…I guess. If she's happy and we're not in any danger, then no harm done. Just…don't do anything like this again, okay?"

Zyle nodded to indicate his agreement.

Valor breathed a sigh of relief. "Alright then. So, what's this about a celebration?"

"Oh, that. Well apparently-"

Zyle was cut off by a woman's voice saying, "Forgive me for intruding, but I think I can answer that question for you."

All three of them turned to face the source of the voice. Valor and Tamashī both immediately recognised her as the woman who had nearly been strangled the day before. Highlighting that fact was a ring of light bruises around her neck. Zyle was of the opinion that, even with the bruises, she was still quite attractive.

With Zyle doing little more than staring at this point, it was left to Valor and Tamashī to do the talking. With a smile Valor said, "Don't worry about it. I'm sure we'd all be glad to have you explain it."

Tamashī crossed her arms and looked away from him. "Jeez Valor, why don't you be nicer to her?"

Valor rolled his eyes but the woman simply laughed. "You don't have to be worried. I have no intention of taking him away from you."

Tamashī tensed up and slowly turned to look at her. "Taking him away from me? What on earth makes you think you would eve have a chance of-"

Valor held up a hand, stopping her. "Tamashī stop. She didn't mean anything by it, and I'm just being friendly. You're acting ridiculous."

"Fine."

Valor let out a sigh. "Sorry about that. My mate tends to find reasons to be jealous when there are none. I'm Valor, by the way."

She nodded. "I understand. If you value something, sometimes you're protective of it, even when you don't have to be. Especially when it's someone you love. And…you didn't really need to introduce yourself…everyone around here already knows your names. But if you happen to care, my name is Gabriela."

Valor nodded. "Nice to meet you."

Tamashī reluctantly repeated the sentiment after a moment, and mumbled an apology for her behaviour. Gabriela simply replied, "You don't need to apologise. Like I said, I understand."

Looking a bit guilty now Tamashī quietly said, "I…alright then."

"Though I have to admit…you seem a little too insecure for someone so beautiful."

Valor watched with great amusement as Tamashī suddenly found herself torn between suspicion and vanity. "I uh…you…I guess…you're right."

Valor struggled to fight back laughter as vanity won out. "Well, I'm glad that's resolved. So, Gabriela, you were going to explain this…uh…celebration to us?"

She nodded. "Simply put…we really don't have many ways to show our gratitude for what you did for us-for what you risked for us. So, it's our little way of saying thank you. Also…I personally wanted to thank you. If you hadn't shown up when you did…" She trailed off, absentmindedly reaching up a hand to gently touch the bruises around her neck.

Valor shook his head. "You don't need to thank us. We just…did what was right."

Tamashī nodded in agreement, now acting far less hostile toward the other female. Gabriela smiled. "Well…even so, I just wanted you to know that I appreciate it."

Clearing his throat and speaking for the first time in several minutes Zyle, with his best charming smile, said, "Well, if you really want to show some appreciation, you could-"

Gabriela quickly shot him a fierce look and said, "Back off. Now."

Zyle stopped cold. "Uh…what?"

She crossed her arms, an icy look in her eyes. "I haven't always lived in this village. I know your type. You're the kind who uses his charm to get women to spend enough time with you that you can get them into bed, and once you're done with them you move on to the next one in line, right?"

Both Valor and Tamashī found it oddly amusing to see someone so easily see through him. Zyle on the other hand was not so amused. "You…you…are way off!"

"Am I? Cause I'm pretty sure I've got you figured out."

"You haven't figured out a damn thing you bitch!"

Tamashī let out a growl, as she had never been fond of the word 'bitch' being used in an insulting manner, but it was lost on the others as the argument continued.

"Okay then, if I'm so wrong, then when was the last time you had a serious relationship?"

Gabriela smiled triumphantly when Zyle failed to answer, but merely became more angry. Turning to Valor and Tamashī she said, "I have to be going now. Thank you again for everything, and I hope to see you two tomorrow night." Turning back to Zyle she added, "And I hope you get a venereal disease."

She then turned and walked away, leaving two amused smiles and an enraged scowl in her wake. Shaking with anger, Zyle turned and stalked off in the opposite direction from Gabriela, prompting Valor to ask, "Where are you going?"

"To find someplace in this town that sells alcohol!"

Once he was gone, an awkward silence set in. Tamashī broke that silence after a few moments by asking, "Should we go after him?"

Valor shook his head. "No…I don't think that would do any good. I think we should just focus on finding a way to spend the rest of our day."

"Does that mean you've come up with some idea of how to do that?"

"Uh…no. I don't really…well, actually, it wouldn't exactly be a fun way to spend our time…but I do have one idea."

Tamashī canted her head. "And that idea would be?"

"Last night I asked Quinn if he knew why that man had been after him. He said he had an idea of why…but he didn't explain at the time."

Tamashī nodded. "So you want to go talk to him about it, right?"

"Exactly. Like I said…not exactly fun, but should be interesting. What do you think?" Valor asked.

"I think we should get going. Come on then!" She set off back the way they had come through the village Valor following a few steps behind her.

In the back of his home, Quinn had a small study of sorts. It was where he kept the records of all the things, both injury and illness, that he had treated for the villagers over the years. Among those he also kept a few medical encyclopaedias, as he had learned over the years that, while experience taught you a lot, it didn't teach you everything. But these records and reference books were not the most valuable things in that room, at least not to him.

What instead he valued most, where the remnants of his beloved Marina. Nothing more than a pair of photo albums and a simple blue and white scarf that she had always worn, but to him these things were worth more than anything. It was one of the albums he had in front of him now, open on the smallish desk that occupied the center of the equally small room.

The events of the previous day, as well as that morning had filled him with a sense of nostalgia, so he had spent much of his day already looking through the memories held within the pages of photos. He smiled, and even laughed slightly as he turned a page and came to a picture of the two of them, Marina giving him the dirtiest look he could ever remember receiving from her. He could remember the day that had been taken quite well.

It had been taken almost forty years before, in Blackthorn City in Johto. It had been the town he and Marina were assigned to watch over by the Guardian Council. The two of them had run into a photographer who was passing through the town, and had-for no reason other than whimsy-decided to have their picture taken. In the picture they were seated on the shores of the little lake that took up a good section of the Northern half of the town.

The reason for the expression upon Marina's face was quite simple. Like all Lucarios, she had been quite proud, and didn't take kindly to any thing that made her seem less important or powerful than she was. It was for this reason that she had easily become irritated when Quinn had-albeit jokingly-told her to stop fidgeting by saying something along the lines of 'sit still you little fur ball'. Naturally she was unhappy, and the picture showed it.

It had only taken a day of silent treatment for him to apologise, but after a while it almost became a joke between them, and eventually even a term of endearment. He smiled at the memories that he almost didn't even need the picture to see clearly. "Hmm…you know…I really do miss you a lot…my little fur ball."

He was drawn away from his memories by the sound of the front door to the house opening. With a sigh he shut the book and gently slid it into the drawer where he kept the other book and Marina's scarf, sliding the drawer closed just as gently. Picking up his cane from where it was leaning against the desk, Quinn pushed himself to his feet and made his way out to the front part of the house to see what had interrupted his reminiscing.

He was mildly surprised and just a little irritated when he was greeted by the sight of Valor and Tamashī. "What is it the two of you are doing back here? Please tell me one of you didn't do something stupid and wind up getting hurt."

Tamashī shook her head with a slight smile. "No nothing like that. You don't have to worry about that."

"Well I suppose that's good." Quinn turned and made his way into the kitchen, indicating for them to follow. Sitting down at the kitchen table he asked, "So why are you back then?"

Valor and Tamashī exchanged a quick glance, then both sat and Valor answered the question. "You said yesterday that…you thought you had some idea as to why that man was looking for you. We were wondering what that might be."

Quinn let out a sigh. "Mm…that. Well, first off, you should know this is only a theory, and I'm not sure it is in fact the reason."

They both nodded to indicate their understanding. Satisfied with that, Quinn continued. "Now…this goes back to when I was still actually a Guardian. After a while, I left my station in the Johto Region and was given the job of looking after and ensuring the continuation of the records of the Guardians. Not a glamorous job, but important none the less. This position also comes with the rare honour of acquiring one of the six spots on the Council. I held that job right up until the end when Marina and I were discovered. Now, one of the perks of that job is that you have more or less unlimited access to the records. I found over time that it was actually rather enjoyable at times to take looks into the past through the information held within them."

"So what does this have to do with recent events?" Tamashī asked, slightly irritated with the lack of progress the conversation seemed to be making.

"I'm getting there! And don't interrupt me!" Quinn snapped, causing Tamashī to look away from him, crossing her arms with a 'humph' and a slightly hurt expression on her face.

"Now, where was I?" Quinn paused for a brief moment, then continued. "So, while exploring these records, I came across a few pieces of information that I thought were a bit…odd, and seemed to conflict with the laws of the Guardians. I brought this to the Council's attention…which I now believe to have been a mistake. It wasn't long after this that Marina and I…well, you know what became of us. Once my leg was healed up enough, I remained with the Guardians just long enough to remove several of the records and take them with me."

Valor's brow furrowed, showing the confusion he was feeling. "But…why take them with you?"

Quinn hesitated, then said, "Because I didn't like what the Guardians had become. What they still are. I knew there were pieces of information that would be destroyed that should not be destroyed. So, I took them with me to protect them. I believe that-in one capacity or another-that man may have been more interested in those records than in me."

Once again they both nodded to indicate understanding. Tamashī then asked, "So…what was the information…and where is it now?"

Quinn didn't answer, but merely returned their questioning stares. He looked back and forth between them, considering his options. He had kept the secrets for decades, and was reluctant to share them. But something else occurred to him. At his age, he couldn't do much to change the future. _But these two _he thought, _just maybe they can bring a change…_

"Very well, I will tell you. As far as where they are, I keep them in a locked steel box in a hidden compartment under the floorboards in my office. As for what they contain…they hold information that shows that relationships like yours and the one I once had, were not always outlawed by the Guardians. Much as society once allowed such things, so did the Guardians. In fact, several of the First Guardian's children wound up mated to Lucarios…which in no small part may be why the First Guardian's genetic lines have almost all become extinct or untraceable."

They simply looked at him in quiet disbelief. It was Valor who spoke after a moment, breaking the silence that had fallen. "Wow…that's…amazing. I had already heard that society used to look at these things differently…but I had no idea that the Guardians did. But…why would that-for lack of a better name-Dark Guardian have been after that information?"

Quinn shook his head. "I don't know. Like I said before, it's just a theory."

"So in other words…you have no idea." Tamashī commented with a slightly smug smile that caused Valor to let out a slightly exhausted sigh and give her a look that with out a word asked "Really?"

Quinn gave her a scathing look in response, but then reluctantly said, "Basically."

With the same slightly smug expression Tamashī said, "Well, I guess-"

She was stopped mid-sentence by Valor. "Tamashī, stop. He snapped at you. It hurt your pride a bit. Please let it go now."

Tamashī sat up straight, eyes slightly wide with surprise. "But I'm not-"

"That's exactly what you're doing. Please let it go."

Quinn watched with mild interest as he saw a rather familiar conversation taking place before him, having had such exchanges with Marina once upon a time. It was then that it occurred to him for the first time that it wasn't just their relationship that mirrored the one he had lost, they also acted quite similarly to the way he and his mate had.

"I'm telling you, it's not a matter of pride!"

"Then why are you acting like this toward him?" Valor countered.

"I…you…ASS!"

Valor smirked. "Oh, so I'm an ass for pointing out that you're not being nice?"

"Yes!"

Their attention was drawn away from the familiar back and forth by Quinn starting to laugh quietly. Both looked at him with slight confusion, neither understanding the reason for his amusement. Feeling just a little more irritated, Tamashī asked, "What exactly is so funny?"

Quinn shook his head, wiping away a tear from under one eye. "The two of you are. Or rather…what you remind me of. Marina and I were quite like you two. Always bickering over little things…rarely meaning a word of what we said…I miss those days."

Quinn went quiet then, lost in memories. Valor and Tamashī exchanged looks, then both smiled. It was odd, but suddenly both felt as though they had no reason to argue about…anything. After a moment Quinn cleared his throat, bringing them all back to the moment at hand. "So…do either of you have…any other questions?"

Valor almost immediately shook his head. "I don't think so. Tamashī?"

Tamashī hesitated for a brief moment, wondering if there might be anything Quinn might know that could be of help to them. Then the sad-and somewhat guilty-thought occurred to her that if Quinn did know anything that could help them, Marina might still be alive.

Her eyes then shifted to her mate, sitting there expectantly-though patiently-waiting for a response. As she looked upon him, a thought came to her that made her smirk. "I wouldn't call this a matter of life and death…but Valor could use a haircut. Anywhere around here we could have that taken care of?"

Quinn snorted with amusement at he chosen query, and Valor wore an amused smile of his own. Running a hand through the untidy shoulder length mess that his hair had become in the last two months, Valor, almost a little defensively said, "I don't know about that. I kinda like my hair longer. I don't think I really need a haircut."

Tamashī nodded. "You do look better with your hair longer than you used to keep it…but now it's getting a bit out of hand…don't you think?"

The corner of Valor's lip twitched slightly. "I suppose. But what about your fur?"

Her eyes flashed with mild irritation at that. "What about my fur? It doesn't grow as fast as your hair does. I only need it trimmed every few months. You know that."

Valor raised an eyebrow, the corners of his lips turned upward in an amused smile. "And…how long has it been since your last 'trim'?"

Tamashī blushed under her fur. "About four months."

Upon seeing the not so well hidden smirk on her mate's lips Tamashī gave a quiet sigh of defeat. "Fine. You've made your point."

Turning back to Quinn she asked, "So…is there a place for him to get a haircut…that could also deal with trimming my fur?"

Quinn-having leant forward to rest his arms on the table-pushed himself back into a sitting position with a slight groan. "Well…if you want some professionally trained hair stylist, you would have to go to Aqua Resort. But, those kinds of things are over rated anyway. There's a little family run shop on the other side of the village. They should be able to take care of both of you."

Tamashī pushed back her chair, standing and stretching out her body. "Excellent. Come on Valor!"

Without waiting for a response she turned with a swish of her tail and walked out of the room. Valor shook his head wit a smile, amused as always by her actions. "Guess I should go after her. Arceus knows she gets into trouble when she goes off on her own."

Valor too stood, but before he could make it very far Quinn said, "Valor, don't be too hard on her when it comes to her pride. All Lucarios have that issue. It's just how they are."

Valor looked back, a smile on his face. "I know. I kinda wish she wouldn't let it get the better of her all the time though. But then…she wouldn't be her without it."

Valor then turned and followed after her, leaving Quinn by himself. The old doctor let out a sad sigh, but with a smile on his face. "How like us they are."

Standing up he gave a small laugh as he began to hobble his way back to his study, not only remembering the past, but also hoping that the past wouldn't repeat itself.

After a short walk across Cocona they found the shop Quinn had directed them toward and-after confirming that said shop could in fact deal with Tamashī's more labour intensive grooming needs-spent the next hour having themselves trimmed back to less wild and unkempt looking versions of themselves.

After the job was finished and Valor was given the pleasant surprise of being told that it was free of charge, they walked out once more into the village, which was now bathed in the soft orange glow of the afternoon sun.

For his part, Valor was rather satisfied with the new length of his hair. Tamashī on the other hand could not say the same of herself. "I feel weird. I think they cut my fur too short. Does it look too short?"

Valor snickered. "I think you're being too picky. You look as beautiful as always."

A satisfied smile took its place on her canine lips. "Well…alright then. I suppose as long as it looks good, I won't worry about it."

With a smile of his own Valor draped one arm over her shoulder, pulling her in close. "Good. And I do have to say…it certainly feels good. Nice and soft."

Tamashī let out an amused snort. "You perv!"

"And yet you love me anyway."

"Yes, I suppose I do." As she said this she gave him an affectionate nuzzling, deciding that to be the best way to confirm what he had said.

The rest of that day passed at a comfortably slow pace, the two of them spending their time doing what was essentially nothing. Watching the sunset on the beach, staring up at the stars in the clear, cloudless night sky above; these were the ways they occupied themselves, spending a rare day acting as though they hadn't a care in the world. The night came to an end when they chose to return to Quinn's home and turn in early for the night, Valor still being quite tired from the previous day's events.

When they woke shortly after sun rise the next morning, Valor happily noted that he actually felt well rested. His contentment was not lost on Tamashī, who commented on it by saying, "Well, you seem happy."

Valor nodded. "Yeah. Guess I'm glad to be feeling more like my usual self."

Tamashī licked her lips, which had formed into a mischievous smile. "Exactly…how much like your usual self are you feeling like?"

Valor laughed in response. "I…think I would rather wait for about another day. Okay?"

Tamashī heaved a heavy mock sigh. "Oh alright." Taking on a slightly more serious demeanour she added, "But you now as well as I do that I'll be coming into heat any day now. No saying no when that happens."

Valor smiled. "Yeah, I know."

"Good. As long as you're aware of it."

Valor shook his head with another laugh. He then slid out of the bed, stretching as he got to his feet. "Well, since I haven't done so since we were on the St. Anne, I'm going to go take a shower."

Valor made to leave the room, but stopped after only a few feet and turned back to look at Tamashī with a raised eye brow. He could have sworn he just heard a sad whimper from his mate. Her head was down and was painted with a somewhat forlorn expression. "Tamashī?"

Her head snapped up to look at him, her eyes suddenly hopeful. "Yes?"

"Would you…care to join me?"

"But what about waiting for another day?"

"Well…as long as it doesn't go farther than say…oral…then I don't think it would be an issue…"

Barely containing her happiness at that concession, Tamashī hopped out of bed, saying, "Well…I suppose that's better than nothing."

Valor laughed. "Do you think your sex drive will ever slow down?"

She gave him a look as though she didn't understand, and flicked her tail in his face as she walked by him. With a coquettish smile she looked back over her shoulder and asked, "What is this 'slowing down' of which you speak? I fear I don't quite understand what you are asking."

He laughed again with a shake of his head as he followed after her, stepping into the bathroom across the hall from the bedroom they were using. "Of course you don't."

Once the shower was running it didn't take long for the water to reach a comfortably warm temperature. Tamashī was under the flowing liquid first, as she only had to remove her bell. Valor, having to first peel several articles of clothing from his body joined her a moment later. By unspoken consent, they chose to deal with the actual cleaning before any play.

Valor's showering needs were rather quickly handled. A quick scrubbing with a bar of soap and a single shampoo and rinse of his hair was enough to wash away the accumulated dirt if the last few days. Tamashī, naturally, required a bit more work.

Using special fur shampoo that Valor kept with him specifically for her use, they began working together on the task of cleaning every inch of her. Flexible a she was, Tamashī was unable to reach her back, so that was the area Valor concentrated on while she dealt with everything that was in her reach. It was a rather intimate and stimulating experience for both of them, and after several minutes of scrubbing and half a dozen rinses not only was she clean as could be, but both were quite ready for the next part of their shower.

Turning around to face her mate for the first time since her cleaning had begun, Tamashī gave him a salacious smile. She stepped in close and wrapped her arms around his waist. She then proceeded to give him a quick, affectionate lick on the nose before pressing her lips to his. As she did he tightened his own hold on her, pulling her in as close as he could, pressing his very erect manhood between their bodies.

Enjoying the moment quite thoroughly, Tamashī slipped her tongue into her mate's mouth and began moaning quietly, prompting Valor to slide his own oral muscle around her own and past her ever so slightly open lips.

Without a word, she pulled away a moment later, panting lightly. Valor shuddered with pleasure as she began running her tongue over his neck and shoulders, the soft pink flesh easily gliding over his skin. She started to slowly work her way down his body, running her tongue along every inch of him along the way. So much was he enjoying it that he leaned back against the wall of the shower and closed his eyes, mentally willing himself to not cum right then and there.

When she reached his shaft she began swirling her tongue around the base of the throbbing flesh, causing him to whimper quietly at the sensation. Each stroke of her tongue was causing flash of pleasure across his eyelids and every time her tongue would lightly brush against his balls he would let out a slightly sharper breath as both she and the pleasure threatened to engulf him.

Kneeling in front of him now, Tamashī placed her paws on his hips to maintain her balance as she ran her tongue up along his length, every second getting ever so slightly close to the tip. He nearly lost control of himself when she first lightly flicked her tongue against the swollen and sensitive tip of his manhood, it taking all the mental control he had to hold back from releasing, and even then a few drops of pre came from just that contact alone.

She pressed the end of him to her lips, smearing the pre into her fur before opening her mouth just enough to start sliding his eagerly throbbing member into her waiting maw. She ran her lips straight down to the base, the last inch of his manhood now pressing against the back of her throat.

Though he didn't see it as his eyes were still closed, she flashed a mischievous smile, and began softly growling around the invading organ. Valor's eyes snapped open in surprise as the soft rumbling in her throat was being transmitted directly to him through his shaft, sending ripples of pleasure through him. Still growling she started sliding him out of her at a painfully slow pace, the fur around her lips brushing ever so delicately against his skin.

She only managed to slide him half way out of her mouth when the combination of sensations finally forced him to lose control, rewarding her with the pleasantly familiar warm and wet sensation of his cum spilling onto her tongue.

Keeping him firmly held within her mouth she swallowed every drop that splashed into her mouth until the spasming of his orgasm came to an end. When she finally allowed him to slip free, Valor smiled weakly down at her. "Always trying new things, huh?"

"Uh huh. Did you like it?"

He simply nodded, not really feeling up to saying more at the moment. Tamashī flashed a satisfied smile of her own. "Good! I thought you would. Now…how about you return the favour…?"

Sitting down on the floor of the shower she laid back against the wall, spreading her legs to expose her nethers to her view. He nodded, and lowered himself until he was essentially lying on his stomach, his nose only a few inches away from her lips, which were wet with more than just water. As he edged closer he couldn't help but notice the faintly lingering scent of strawberries, the result of her earlier shampooing. Mixed in with that scent was the scent of her own arousal, the two mixing to create quite the pleasant aroma.

He slipped his arms under her legs and reached up to place them on her waist, pulling himself in slightly close, before delivering the first soft, slow lick to her dripping lower lips. She let out a pleasured and contented moan as he ran his tongue through the soft pink folds, quite warm to the touch as they were flushed with blood.

He first worked his tongue around the edges of her flesh, slowly working his way inward with long slow motions of his oral muscle, determined to give attention to every inch of her. Finally, upon reaching her entrance he began pushing his tongue into her as deeply as he could, sliding it along her inner walls, already so slick with her juices.

She closed her eyes, continuing to moan softly as he continued to so wonderfully apply his tongue to her. She let out a surprised gasp as he switched from her insides, and began applying his attention to her very swollen clit. At first he just gave it little flicks and licks, occasionally wrapping the tip of his tongue around the blood engorged nubbin. She took in a sharp breath as he began to deviate from the norm though, and lowered his lips over the already sensitive bit of flesh, starting suck upon it lightly.

Just when she had become used to-and even started to really enjoy-that sensation, he surprised her yet again as he gave her clit a gentle, but persistent bite. Holding it between his teeth he gave the tip of it little flicks with his tongue, until finally the sensation of her most sensitive part being manipulated so brought her to her own orgasm, flooding the floor of the shower with her own fluids, which mixed into the warm water as it drained away.

Valor sat back against the wall beside her with a smile on his face. "So, how'd I do?"

She opened one eye to look at him, and flashed a wry smile. "Always trying new things, huh?" She echoed.

Valor stifled a laugh. "Well, I have to keep things interesting for you somehow. Besides, you started it."

She snuggled up to him with a slight laugh. "Yes, I suppose I did."

Once both had made sure they were clean of any residual fluids, the two left the shower behind to head downstairs for breakfast. Not unexpectedly, Quinn was present in the kitchen, awaiting them with a knowing, sly smile on his lips. "So…what happened to me telling you to take it easy for a few days Valor?"

Both blushed, and Valor, avoiding the doctor's gaze, ran a hand nervously through his hair. "Well it was…uh…not very…strenuous."

Quinn snorted with laughter. "Yes, I would imagine not. Though you two do make a fair amount of noise, don't you?"

Tamashī blushed harder, knowing without him saying it that he was referring primarily to her. Standing to her full height in a somewhat dignified fashion, she said, "Blame Valor. It's his fault I'm so noisy."

Valor stared at her, completely mortified, while Quinn burst out in hysterical laughter. His chest heaving he wheezed out, "Well…better he gives you reason to be noisy…than not."

Valor sighed. "I'm not sure which one of you is worse."

Tamashī flicked her tail in his face before sitting down at the kitchen table. "Lighten up you! You take this kinda thing way too seriously."

Valor sighed again, this time with a slight smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. "I suppose I do."

Valor sat down beside her, and they filled their stomachs in a semi-contented silence. A short while later they walked out the front door of Quinn's home, intent on looking for a way to spend their day until night fell. The day passed slowly, and by the middle of the day they had decided to pass their time by exploring more of the island than they had on their first day there.

There was no real plan; they just wandered along whatever path caught their interest, investigating whatever seemed worth while. When the sun was hanging low in the sky they two returned to Cocona village, and were somewhat surprised by the sight that greeted them.

The whole center of town was decorated with bright ribbon and brighter strings of light. Several picnic tables had materialised, apparently having been brought out for the occasion, and there was the smell of baked goods and roasting meat wafting through the air. It was an impressive sight to say the least, especially considering it had all been done in the space of a few hours. There were already a number of people milling about and the number was rising steadily, until, by the time the sun had set, it appeared as though everyone in the village was in the center of town.

There was a brief moment that was embarrassing for Valor and rather enjoyed by Tamashī when some of the most respected members of the village-Quinn included- announced the beginning of the 'celebration' placing particular emphasis on how grateful everyone was for what Valor, Tamashī and Zyle had done for the village.

After the moment had passed and the celebrating had begun, both of them felt an unshakable sense of déjà vu, as they were both heavily reminded of the final night of the Twinleaf Festival. This village, and this celebrating, it had a similar feel. At least at first.

The mood quickly changed for Valor and Tamashī when they found themselves faced with an unending stream of people who wanted to personally express their gratitude for what they had done. First they found it flattering, then it began to feel a bit monotonous, and finally became downright exhausting.

About two hours later, when it seemed as though they had met the village's entire population, both felt as though they had been running for the last fifteen minutes straight, thus leading them to wind up seated at and slumped over one of the many picnic tables. Valor let out a tired sigh. "I can appreciate wanting to thank us, but that was a bit ridiculous."

Tamashī nodded in agreement, then stood up. "I'll be back in a minute. I'm hungry and the smell of all this food is driving me nuts."

Valor laughed. "Alright. Just stay out of trouble."

"Don't I always?" With a wink and a swish of her tail she was gone, off to find something to fill her stomach with.

Valor sat up and stretched, yawning in the process. Odd, he thought, to feel so tired so early in the night. "At least I'm not tired from fighting some psychopath this time." He mused to himself.

Tamashī returned a few minutes later, carrying a plate heaped with all the food it looked like it could hold. Valor raised an eyebrow accompanied by a bemused smile. "Think you got enough?"

She returned his smile as she set down the plate. "Well, I figured you would probably want something as well…or was I wrong?"

He chuckled in response. "I suppose I should thank you then."

"Jeez…do you two always have to be so cute with each other?"

Both looked over in surprise to see Zyle walking toward them, a mug in his hand. Valor shrugged. "It's not our fault we get along the way we do."

Zyle dropped on to the bench on the opposite side of the table. "Yeah, I guess. So, is it just me, or are these people a little too grateful?"

Tamashī gave a short nod. "Yeah, even I found the never ending stream of…thanking to be tiresome. Did you have to deal with that as well?"

"Yeah. Probably not to the extent you two did, but I've certainly had a tonne of people come up to me." Zyle punctuated that by taking a swig from his mug.

Valor sighed. "So, how much drinking have you done to deal with your discomfort?"

Zyle scowled. "This only my first mug. Calm down."

Tamashī lifted her nose into the air, sniffing slightly. "Your first mug of what exactly? It smell kinda…sweet."

He shrugged in response. "I don't know. Some local concoction made from some kind of berries."

"It certainly smells good, whatever it is."

Zyle raised an eyebrow. "Care to try a taste?"

Valor cleared his throat. "I would appreciate it if you didn't go trying to get my mate drunk."

"I just offered her one drink. Unless she's a real light weight, that probably wouldn't do much. Besides, last time I checked, there isn't any kind of law pertaining to alcohol when it comes to pokémon."

"That's not the point!"

Tamashī cleared her throat. "Excuse me, but I think I can put an end to this argument."

Before either of them could respond, almost too fast for the eye to see she swiped the mug from Zyle's hand and proceeded to down the contents in two gulps.

Valor stared in shock while Zyle simply looked amuse. "Uh…Tamashī, that was a mug, not a shot glass."

Tamashī licked her lips with a smile. "Well whatever it was, it tasted as good as it smelled. I feel kinda…warm now. Is that normal?"

Zyle nodded. "Yep."

"And what about this faint buzzing feeling in my skull?"

Zyle snickered. "Yeah, that's normal as well."

Valor scoffed. "Great, you've gone and gotten her drunk."

"Nah, only buzzed. She'll probably just be a bit-"

Zyle was interrupted by Tamashī slumping forward on the table, a lopsided grin on her face. "Okay, so she's a bit of a light weight."

"Zyle, do you ever think about the results of the things you do? I mean really, do you just have no ability to think about consequences? This is just-"

Tamashī raised up a paw, interrupting him. "Valor, don't…don't be too mad at him. I uh…mmm…did this on my own…and it feels really good."

"I…you…I don't even no what to say to you."

Zyle cleared his throat. "You could start by thanking me. She is probably gonna be a fair bit more fun and a bit more uh…'friendly' for the rest of the night."

Valor slowly turned to look at Zyle. "You realise that anything bad that happens tonight will be your fault, right?"

Zyle was about to reply when Tamashī sat bolt upright, drawing their attention. Her ears swivelling slightly she asked, "Valor, am I hearing music?"

He hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah. Why?"

"Remember in Twinleaf when we danced? Let's do that again!" Without waiting for a response she grabbed him and started pulling him along behind her.

Zyle couldn't help but watch in amusement at the result of his offer to Tamashī as Valor shot him a dirty look. Zyle couldn't help but become more entertained as the night went on, watching as his prediction came true, Valor having to rather consistently pull Tamashī's paw away from his crotch. Of course, it wasn't lost on Zyle that Valor didn't exactly seem displeased with the turn of events after a while.

Not having any real interest in participating on the goings on of the village-whether it be dancing, eating or celebrating in whatever way they chose-Zyle simple watched in silence, only leaving his spot once to refill the mug that Tamashī had so easily emptied.

It was there he sat in that same spot, when a voice from behind him asked, "Would I be correct in guessing that the tipsy Lucario molesting her mate is somehow your doing?"

Zyle looked over his shoulder and felt his lip curl in distaste as he was met with the sight of Gabriela standing there with her arms crossed and an accusatory look in her eyes. Zyle scoffed and turned away. "I offered her a taste. Not my fault she downed the whole mug. Shocking that you would assume something about me, and be wrong."

"What the hell does that mean? When else have I 'assumed something about you' and been wrong?"

"Yesterday. You asked when I had ever had a serious relationship. I didn't answer. You assumed I had never had one, right?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Yes, that would be what one would guess, considering your response. If you had had anything to say against it, wouldn't you have?"

Zyle was quite then, long enough fro her to almost consider saying something else, when he finally spoke up. "I might have chosen not to say anything…if it was a painful memory."

When he didn't continue she sat down next to him, drawing a scowl in response. "How painful could it be?"

"I don't want to talk about it painful."

Gabriela crossed her arms, leaned forward on the table, and gave him a hard look. "Come on, you're so desperate to prove me wrong, so why don't you just spill it?"

Zyle let out a heavy, exhausted sigh. "If I tell you will you leave me the hell alone?"

She smiled sweetly in response. "Yes, if that's what you want."

"Good."

He went quiet again, prompting Gabriela to say, "Well, go on."

Zyle sighed again. "Well…it all started about…six years ago. I was eighteen. Had never travelled as a trainer, and had instead finished school. I had decided I wanted to become a police officer. I don't even know what made me choose that, it's just what I had always wanted to do."

"And what does this have to do with a relationship?"

"Just let me get there, alright? You wanted to know, so just let me tell it."

She shrugged. "Alright then. Continue."

"Okay…so, I had just started the training program to join the police force in Olivine City in the Johto Region; the town I had grown up in. She and I just kinda…met by accident. Quite literally bumped into each other on the street. Her name was Ileana."

"Sounds pretty."

"She was. Beautiful, in fact. Well, after that first meeting, we really hit it off. We started going out almost immediately. I was…smitten to be honest. It wasn't long before we even went so far as living together."

"Wow, that does actually sound like a real, serious relationship."

Zyle shot her a dirty look before he continued. "Well, it was. And you know, she always encouraged me. She always drove me to be better, to strive to excel. She was so amazing. So supportive. I honestly loved her. I wish I could say it ended well…but it didn't."

Looking a fair more bit sympathetic than she had before, Gabriela asked, "I'm almost kinda don't want to know, but what happened?"

"Like I said, she always encouraged me to work hard. After…two years with the police in Olivine, my record caught the attention of the International Police. I was offered a job with them, and accepted immediately. I was, needless to say, excited. Now uh…I went home early that day…and when I got home, I found out why she never had any issue with me working late or not being home much. I came through the door, and found her with another man."

Gabriela gulped. "I see. I…find that kinda hard to believe."

"Well, it's true. I had known she wasn't a virgin after our first time…but she told me she had only ever been with one other. I rather quickly realised that had been a lie. Soon after my relationship with her ended, I decided that I didn't want to risk that outcome again, so I never pursued another actual relationship." Zyle finished, taking a long drought from his mug.

"So…you became a man whore to avoid being hurt again? What about all the women you've probably hurt?"

Zyle scoffed. "Do you really think me so heartless? I've always made a point of having my partners know that it would be short term."

Gabriela looked away from him, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Oh. Well…I uh…suppose I was wrong…about you."

"Yep. You were." He paused, then almost as an after thought to the whole conversation he added, "Oh, and I almost forgot. Ever since then, Gracedia flowers depress the hell outta me."

"Why Gracedia flowers?" She asked.

"They were her favourites."

"I see. Well um…I'm sorry about how I treated you before."

"Well alright then." A few moments of silence passed, the Zyle spoke again. "So, I've told you something of my past…how 'bout you tell me something about yours?"

She hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. What do you want to know?"

He thought for a moment before answering. "Alright, when we first met, you said you didn't always live here in Cocona. Where did you live before? And how'd you wind up here?"

She hesitated. "I suppose this is fair. You talked about something you didn't want to revisit. I should do the same."

Zyle raised an eyebrow. "Alright then…sounds fair to me. Do go on."

"I…well…it was…ten years ago. I was thirteen. My family-me, my mother, and my father-lived in Jubilife city, in the Sinnoh Region. Like you…I had never really had any interest in being a Pokémon Trainer. Um…I was…at…well one day after…my parents had dropped me off at my school…there was…an accident. A car crash."

Zyle blinked in surprise. "A car crash? Those are…really uncommon. So few people actually drive anywhere…you never hear about them."

"I'm just telling you what happened. My parents…didn't survive. So, I came here…to live with my grandparents. They were the only family I had left. I kept wanting to leave, to find something else…but, something was always holding me back. I just…didn't have the will to leave I guess." She took in a shuddering breath, fighting back tears at the memories.

Zyle gulped, then clears his throat. "I'm uh…sorry. Sorry about what happened…and for asking about it."

Gabriela laughed, wiping a tear from her cheek. "Well look at that…you do have a heart."

Zyle shook his head, laughing as well. "Is making jokes about me really making you feel better?"

"Just a little bit."

"I guess I'll put up with it then."

She laughed again and leaned lightly against him. "You know…you're not so bad when you drop the whole…womanising persona."

"I think that may be the nicest thing you've said to me since we met."

"I think so too." She hesitated then, for just a moment. "But…we'll see where the night goes."

He gave her a sideways look of confusion. "What does that mean?"

Without answering she got up and started to walk away, Zyle watching her go. After a few feet she looked back over her shoulder. "You coming?"

Zyle felt his jaw drop at the question. "I…you…but…seriously?"

She simply nodded in response. He gulped, and took a deep breath. "Yeah, alright."

He to got up and followed after her, finding a bit odd that they were both suddenly ignoring the fact that neither had even remotely liked the other less than an hour before. He decided though, that it would probably be better not to question it.

Valor sat heavily upon one of the benches at another of the picnic tables. He had been tired before, but after the past couple of hours, he felt almost as though he could fall asleep right there. A still quite tipsy Tamashī sat down beside him, smiling brightly. "That was soooo much fun! We should do that more often!"

Valor laughed. "Yeah, we'll see how you feel in the morning."

She looked at him with an entirely-too-adorable confused expression, with her head tilted to one side and her ears at right angles to each other. "In the morning?"

"Yeah, when you have to deal with the results of drinking."

"Oh." She replied, still not really understanding in her current state of mind. Adopting a seductive little smile she reached a paw down between his legs. "Hey…you know what we should do now?"

Smiling gently he pulled her paw away from his crotch for what felt like the thousandth time so far. "I don't think so. Not while your thoughts all cloudy."

She started nuzzling him and delivering light licks to his cheek and neck. "Aww…that's no fun! Come on…please…"

Valor gulped. Unfortunately, he efforts were having her desired effect on him. "I uh…wouldn't…feel right about doing with you like this. I would feel like I was taking advantage of you or something."

Smiling quite sweetly, her telepathic voice ringing with that same innocent sweetness, she asked, "Is it taking advantage…when I want you to do it?"

"I…uh…" He trailed off, not knowing how to respond. Unfortunately for his argument, she made a good point. He sighed, and looked at her, sitting there with an innocent smile but lustful eyes. His lip twitched slightly as an idea came to him.

Valor let out a fake sigh of defeat. "Alright, you win. Let's go back to Quinn's house."

"Yay! Let's go!" She immediately grabbed him by the arm and started dragging him along behind her. Valor breathed a quiet sigh of relief that she hadn't tried to do anything right there in the middle of town.

After a short walk through the town and up the stairs the arrived at their temporary room within the house. Carefully closing the door behind him, Valor let out another sigh of relief. He turned to see Tamashī waiting expectantly on the bed. He cleared his throat, and-silently hoping this would work-said, "Alright, well, I guess its time to go to sleep. After all, we've had a long night."

She tilted her head to one side. "But…we haven't done…anything yet."

"Uh yeah…but you should really sleep off the alcohol."

"But we haven't done stuff yet!" Smiling coquettishly she added, "Besides, I always fall asleep quicker after we do stuff."

Valor was surprised by how well she was arguing against him, considering her inebriated condition. "Jeez…even when you're drunk I can't talk my way out of anything with you."

She gave a satisfied smile, probably understanding less than she was acting like she did. Valor how ever, was not so satisfied. "Tamashī, are you at all sober enough to understand that this makes me uncomfortable?"

She looked down in disappointment then. "Yes…"

"Then what did I just say?"

"That you're…uncomfortable with…this." She said, waving a paw vaguely.

Valor blinked in surprise. "Um…yeah. Exactly. So…I'd rather not. Ordinarily I would…but not with you like this."

"Valor?"

"Yes?"

"What's the difference?"

"What's the…what?"

Tamashī looked up, her eyes meeting his. "What's the difference? You love me. I love you. I would most likely have asked for this tonight anyway. I am asking for it. You're not forcing yourself onto me. So what's the difference?"

Valor didn't know how to respond to that. Once again, she had surprised him with an almost unrealistically clear minded argument. And he had to admit that she did make a very good point. Would it be wrong, he wondered? She was asking, _and _she probably would have anyway. With that in mind, there seemed to be no reason not to…though he still did feel some mild apprehension about it. After all, what if in the morning she felt as though she had been taken advantage of? Would she even care? What if she never trusted him again afterward? What if-

Valor's thought were cut short by Tamashī getting to her feet, quickly walking up to him, and tightly locking her lips with his, gliding her tongue into her mouth as though there were nothing out of the ordinary about the situation. Shocked for a moment or two, he quickly relaxed and closed his eyes, slightly enjoying the lingering aftertaste of her earlier drink.

She pulled away after a moment, and pressed her forehead to his, her eyes closed. "So tell me, does that changes your mind at all?"

He laughed in response. "You do make quite the argument. I think you may have swayed me."

"Well then, off with your clothes!"

"As you wish."

While she returned to waiting for him on the bed, he removed all of his garments as quickly as he could. He joined her barely a minute later, and she almost immediately pinned him to the bed by his shoulders. She pressed her hips against his, lightly grinding into him while also nuzzling his neck and chest. The feeling of her fur brushing against him quickly brought him to full readiness, causing her to stop so as to keep him from finishing before she had a chance to make use of his arousal.

They began kissing once again, but Tamashī pulled away quickly, as devilish smile on her lips. He knew that look. She had an idea. "Valor…do you have any…rope…or anything like that in your bag?"

He gulped. She definitely had an idea, and he wasn't sure he liked it. "Um…maybe. Why?"

She hopped off him and made her way over to where his back pack rested against the wall. "Well, let's see." After a few moments of searching she produced a short length of relatively thin rope. She quickly re-joined him on the bed. "Okay, now turn over so you're on your stomach!"

Feeling rather nervous and still not really liking where she was going he reluctantly complied.

"Hands behind your back please!"

With a defeated sigh he complied again, and was less than surprised when he felt the length of rope tighten around his wrists, binding them together. "So…now what?"

"This!" She flipped him back over, causing him to be less than comfortably positioned on top of his hands and arms. She then returned to her original position, straddling his hips. Smiling down at her bound mate she said, "Now you can't go anywhere, and I can play with you all I want!"

Though he wouldn't admit it, he was kind of turned on by this sudden turn, and so he laid back, content to let her do as she wished. Satisfied, she just barely lifted her body off his, and reached a paw down to guide him into her, gently parting her lower lips and slowly sliding down his length until she sheathed him completely.

She then laid herself down, and began gently biting into his shoulder. He closed his eyes, enjoying the familiar sensation of her canines sinking into his skin as she began pistoning along his length. She had opted to skip the usually more gentle grinding motions and go straight for the almost bone jarring impacts that she preferred.

Valor could feel his manhood throbbing within the hot, gripping tunnel of flesh her muscles squeezing him as she drove down to each impact of fur against skin. She could feel every twitch and throb of his engorged member as it brushed and ground against all of her most sensitive spots driving her a bit wilder with every motion.

She started biting down harder, somehow having the presence of mind to both attempt to quite the every increasing volume of her own moans while still not biting straight through him. This caused him to start thrusting up into her as his back arched, driving him further into her until he managed to do as she had hoped and passed through her cervix, trapping him within herTheir thrust became shorter but not gentler as each could feel an impending climax. Both being driven by little more than instinct as they fought to hold themselves back if only to make it last just a bit longer.

Finally it proved too much, and Valor released within her sending bursts of his seed deep into her body. That feeling of warmth and the suddenly more violent twitching of his manhood sent Tamashī that last step over the edge, her inner muscles trying to pull him in deeper and get as much from him as she could.

When their respective orgasms finally wound down, Tamashī tilted her body so that they both came to lie on their sides. Having enough sense about him to notice that the rope binding his wrists had been loosened, Valor pulled until they came off completely. He then wrapped his arms around his already heavy eyed mate.

Though he had been reluctant, the night had wound up being entertaining to say the least. Maybe I should get her drunk more often, he joked silently to himself. Of course he wouldn't ever do so to her, but it was still an amusing thought.

With that in his mind he fell asleep just as she already had, dreams filled with replaying images of the night they were leaving behind.


	22. Interlude V: Influence of the Past

Cynthia sighed. "I really hope your job is as difficult as you said Galen, because this one is hell."

Naturally, there was no response. She was completely alone at the moment, standing on the balcony of her hotel room. She and Aitana had spent the last few days in Kanto, trying to convince the regional government to change. It wasn't going well, to say the least.

Cynthia's prestige, as well as the general attitude of Sinnoh's population, had made it relatively easy there. And if they could change things in Kanto, then Johto would quickly follow. After all, the two regions were joined at the hip. But that was a rather large if. Then of course there was Hoenn…then Unova. All in all, they had their work cut out for them. Sure they had a decent amount of support, but it wasn't helping as much as she had hoped.

Her mind drifted again to what Galen was doing. He had said that changing the viewpoint of the Guardians would be tough…and then there was whatever had caused him to start freaking out in Celestic Town. She couldn't help but wonder what could have caused him to be so worried. It wasn't like him.

And, much as she hated to admit it, she knew that dealing with the Guardians would be difficult. Galen had once told her that the Guardian Council was split in half. One half was too stubborn to be willing to change from tradition. The other half was open to change, and sometimes even wanted it, but didn't have the will to try to fight against the other half.

She didn't envy him in the slightest, even if she didn't care for her own work.

She let out another sigh. "And why do I let you keep talking me into this stuff?"

Of course, she knew the answer to that question before she even asked it. Galen had almost always had the ability to get her on board with any adventure. It was why she had been on more than a few with him. The reason for her willingness to help him was simple: after she had rejected him all those years ago, she had wound up falling for him.

It had just been pure bad luck that he had met the woman he would marry before Cynthia had a chance to say anything to him.

Feeling just a bit depressed now, she stretched her arms over her head, then turned to walk back into the room. It had been a long, exhausting, and downright disappointing day.

Taking one last look at the setting sun before heading off to bed, she let out one more sigh. "Whatever you're doing Galen, I hope it's going better than things are on this end."

Galen sneezed violently, disturbing the layer of dust on the books laid out before him. He rubbed his nose trying to resist the urge to sneeze again. "I would think someone was talking about me if it weren't for all this damn dust!"

Once the urge to sneeze again had passed, he returned to looking at the various volumes on the table where he was seated. All were history oriented, containing chronicles and records of the Guardians and the Order throughout history. It was rather dry to read through, and though he knew it was necessary, it was also quite mind numbing. He leaned forward, resting his hand on the pages of one of the open tomes. "And as if the dust weren't bad enough, this is the dullest thing I have every willingly done!"

"Well you sound like you're in a good mood."

Galen sat up and looked over his shoulder, giving a weary smile at the sight of Sarina standing behind him. "Coming to check on us again?"

"Just seeing if you need or want any help."

Galen shook his head. "I think between me Riley and Azure we can handle it."

"Okay then. If you're sure."

She stepped up closer behind him, taking a look at all the books on the table in front of him. "Between you and Mathias…I'm not sure who's making greater use of the records these days."

Galen smirked. "What, are you worried we'll mess up your organizational system?"

Sarina crossed her arms with a frown. "You know full well what I'm worried about."

His expression became more sombre. "Yeah, I do know. I'm worried about them as well. Hell…right now, I'm worried about the state of the world on the whole. Things are looking pretty damn grim right now. And it isn't helping that half of the council won't even listen to what I have to say."

"Well…at least half of the council is…kind of on your side."

Galen scoffed. "I'm sorry Sarina, but you three aren't helping either. If you three would actually bother to stand up to the others we would actually be making some progress. Instead I've had to give up on convincing the council, and am now forced to spend my days in here, hoping like hell that I'm wrong about what I think I may be right about."

Sarina blinked in confusion. "And…what is it you think you may be right about?"

"Uh…I'd rather not cause any undue panic in case I am wrong. Let's just say that if I am right…then we are all going to be in very deep shit."

"Well that is an interesting way to put it."

Galen smiled. "I like to think I can put things in a unique perspective."

"Right." Sarina looked around the large bookshelf filled room. It was rather poorly lit, and some sections were quite dusty, but this room was the most important one in the world to her. It was the place where all the records and stories of the Guardians were stored. There was something about being there that made her feel…at home. "So…where are the Lucarios?"

Galen pointed to the right. "I sent Azure that way." He then pointed to the left. "Sent Riley that way. Told them to come and get me or call out if they found anything."

"And anything means…?"

"Anything that will tell me whether or not I'm right."

Sarina sighed. "And there you go with the secrecy again. Why can't you just tell me?"

"Because-"

He was cut off by the familiar telepathic voice of his Lucario. "Galen! You need to come here! Right NOW!"

He and Sarina exchanged a quick glance, then-his chair falling to the ground with how quickly he stood up-they set out into the maze of wooden shelves. A short couple of minutes later they found Riley, staring intently at the book in his paws. Galen slowly walked up to his pokémon's side. "What did you find Riley?"

He handed the book to Galen, a blank look on his face. "Just read."

His expression becoming serious, he began to silently read from the tome. As he read he first furrowed his brow, then his eyes started to widen. When he finished several minutes and a few pages later, his arm fell to his side, barely holding on to the book.

Sarina was about to ask what was wrong, when Azure came around the corner of one of the shelves, looking slightly flustered. "Galen…what's going on? Why did Riley call out? What did he find?"

Galen gulped. "Well…I think I may be right."

Sarina's brow furrowed. "Okay…right about WHAT? What is going on?"

Galen didn't answer, but instead walked slowly back the way they had come, the three of them following after him. When he reached his table he picked up, and heavily sat down in the chair he had abandoned. "What is going on is…I think there could be traitors within the Guardians."

Sarina shook her head. "That can't be. The very idea is ridiculous. We would know, wouldn't we? What would even make you think such a thing?"

Galen absentmindedly ran a hand through his hair, taking in a deep breath. "Okay…how much do you know about Tamashī?"

Sarina gave him an odd look, not really understanding the question. "Um…not much, why?"

"Well, she is one of-as far as I know-only two existing members of a very rare genetic line, the other being her mother. Her particular lineage makes it so that she doesn't have a chest spike, unlike…virtually every other Lucario."

"I've read about that once, although I thought that line died out centuries ago. But…what does that have to do with anything?" Sarina asked.

Galen hesitated, then said, "Apparently, somehow that genetic line was weeded out by the Lucarios themselves. Something…at some point…caused them to think that what was once a dominant gene…was weaker than the recessive gene. I couldn't help but wonder what could cause that…and I worried that humans might have somehow interfered."

"How could they have?"

Galen picked up the book Riley had given him, and began reading. "What follows is a chronicle of an inexplicable epidemic that struck the Lucario species, as recorded by Vinzenz, nineteenth record keeper of the Order of Guardians. It started several years ago. There began some strange ailment, that plagued the Lucario Species. It was strange, in that, in the early days, it appeared to only be striking the females. The afflicted displayed rather alarming symptoms. First, the Lucarios would lose the colouration of their fur, becoming shades of grey and black. Their Auras too, became dark. They became violent, and without reason. Eventually they would expire, presumably from the change to their natural Aura. As time went on, it was notice that a relatively rare genetically anomalous group was not effected. Normally, a female Lucario does not have a chest spike, but a small percentage-less than one fifth of them-bare that which normally separates them from the males."

"That's all very interesting, but what does it mean?"

Galen sighed. "It goes on for several more pages. It was decided by both the Guardians and Lucarios that-for the sake of stopping the spread of this apparent disease-only females with chest spikes should be allowed to breed and produce offspring. That was what caused their genetic line to disappear…or at least become as rare as it is now. It was also at this time that the Guardians put a ban on Guardian/Lucario relationships, as many did exist in those days and it was a major concern that-as many occurrences of this disease seemed to take place within the Guardians ranks-it could lead to highly dangerous situations for Guardians, as well as broken hearts and spirits."

"Okay…and how does all that say that there are traitors within the Guardians?" Sarina asked, trying both to digest all the information, and make sense of what it meant.

"When…I'm sorry Azure…when Faerin was corrupted, Azure allowed himself to fall as well, because of his feelings for Faerin. When he did, according to him, his fur lost all colour, and he lost control of himself, including becoming far more prone to violent acts."

Sarina looked back and forth between Galen and the now downtrodden Lucario. "So…you're saying that that 'disease'…was actually the Lucarios being corrupted by dark Aura?"

Galen nodded. "And when a Lucario loses its connection to its natural Aura…it will eventually kill them. After all, they're born as Riolus with the ability to sense their own Aura. It's so much a part of their life they simply can't be separated from it. If he hadn't regained control of himself…that would have happened to Azure as well."

"Okay…so, traitors in the Guardians?"

"Yeah. That. Like I said, there were an uncommonly high number of incidents of those corruptions among the Guardians. The only way they could be so prominent among the Guardians would be if some of them were actually the ones doing the corrupting, hiding their true power in an attempt to weaken the Guardians."

Sarina gulped. "That makes sense for then…but what about now?"

Galen sighed. "Azure…would you mind?"

With three sets of eyes on him, Azure nodded reluctantly. "Just…before what happened…when Faerin was tricked into taking that power…we ran into…a man. I never saw his face. He wore a hood. He told Faerin…that he could be stronger, and could more easily protect the things he cared about. My memory is little hazy after that point…and I don't really remember what colour one was…but that man had two Auras. The one I can't remember was a normal colour…and the other one was pitch black."

Neither Galen nor Riley reacted, as they were already aware of this, but Sarina was clearly shocked at the information. "But…but that's not possible! When one is corrupted by a dark Aura…they lose all control of their old one! It consumes them!"

Galen nodded. "Yes. However…if one could discipline themselves well enough…they could theoretically maintain their natural Aura, disguising the darker one from view, even by a Guardian."

"So that means…that…they could easily hide…from the entire Order. So there could be traitors in our midst…and we would have no idea."

"Exactly."

There was another chair on another side of the table where Galen sat, and Sarina almost immediately sat down, struggling to come to terms with the implications of it all. She sat there silently, her mind racing. Several minutes passed before she finally spoke. "We…might have a problem."

Galen scoffed. "I would call that an understatement."

Sarina stood back up, shaking her head. "This is just…unreal. But either way, I think we should inform the rest of the Council."

Galen quickly stood up as well, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We can't. It wouldn't be a good idea."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Why?"

"Because…I honestly only trust you and Mathias. I would be concerned as to whether or not any of the others are what they seem to be."

"You think there could be a traitor on the Council itself?"

He gave a short nod in response. "Yes. It wouldn't surprise me. They have had centuries to infiltrate our ranks. There's no reason to think they couldn't have one or more people controlling the Council."

Sarina nodded. "I see what you mean. But then what do we do?"

Galen hesitated for a brief moment. "For now…we should let Mathias know, and there is one other Guardian I know I can trust. Once they are made aware…we don't do anything. We keep an eye on the Council, and on the Order, and hope that we can react in time to stop them if they try to do…anything."

"That's all?"

"That's all. Without a better idea of who can be trusted, we need to keep this quiet."

Sarina let out a long, slow breath. "Alright. That-unfortunately-makes sense."

"Glad you agree. So, first things first, we need to tell Mathias about all of this."

She nodded. "No point in waiting. We should go now."

Without a word, the two set off toward Mathias's chambers. The two Lucario exchanged a quick glance, then fell into line behind the humans, all focused on their objective, and all with thoughts of what the future might hold.

End Interlude V


End file.
